Are You in Trouble? by H. E. Sawyer-Hopkins

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Mar 2, 1905

Are You in Trouble?

By H. E. Sawyer-Hopkins

H. E. SAWYER-HOPKINS

In Ps. 88:3 we read these words spoken by King David, that mighty man of war who fought battles and gained glorious victories: “For my soul is full of troubles;” also in Psalms 107 we find many expressions like this: “Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.”

Why, says one, does God not deliver me when I cry for help? Let me ask, Where in Holy Writ do we find any statement that the faint-hearted shall receive help, even though they ask for assistance? Do we find a single promise that God will grant our petitions when we fail to trust?

We notice in this same psalm an account of wonderful things that the Lord did for Israel. Why do we not see as great wonders in our day? In Mal. 3:6 we read, “I am the Lord, I change not.” The Lord is “the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” If the Lord never changes, but is always the same even unto the end, is it not possible that he will perform as great things to-day as of old? “Ask, and ye shall receive,” reads the same as when these words were written, and means the same.

The apostle James gives us light which should forever settle this question. He says, “Ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not,” and then comes the direct promise: “It shall be given.”

Although we may send up a hundred petitions to the throne of grace, we find from the next verse, that it is all in vain to expect an answer to our petitions unless we ask in faith. “He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea— driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” According to this text, no one need think for a moment that he will have any request granted when the least doubt is entertained. We may ask many times, and the failure to trust may prevent the receiving just as often. If we firmly trust Jesus to fulfil his word, then we shall not find ourselves deceived.

Let us notice the case of Jacob. His life was clouded with many sorrows, yet the Lord had a special care for him. After taking his long journey of six hundred miles, and serving Laban twenty years, still God was with him and prospered him; yet he endured many sore trials,—his mother died, his wives embittered his life, and four of his children brought grief and shame upon him, his loved Rachel and his father were removed by death, then Joseph was given up as lost, and even the youngest son came near bringing his gray hairs to the grave.

We understand that many of these trials were brought about by lack of faith in God’s unfailing promises, and here he failed to learn the lesson of patient waiting.

What a lesson for us to learn! May the great Jehovah help us to remember his wonderful works. May he help us sense our weakness, and grant us wisdom and strength to trust him to lead us safely through this barren land to Canaan’s fair shore.