CONFIDENCE

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 14, 1881

I RECENTLY met, while traveling by rail, a very simple illustration of the peace-giving power of confidence. We had arrived at a junction where some shifting of the passengers took place, and I observed a lady in the same carriage with me, in much anxiety as to whether she was in her right place or not. I called to one of the officials, “Does this carriage go right through to B——?” He instantly replied, “Yes.” This little word completely hushed the lady’s fears, and removed all her doubts and anxiety. She became perfectly satisfied, and her mind was tranquilized. Now how was this? There was no change in her position or circumstances. She had evidently done nothing which could account for this immediate transition from restless anxiety to placid repose. What, then, was the basis of her peace? Simple confidence. She believed the official’s “Yes,” and she got immediate peace; nor did she manifest any further uneasiness during the remainder of the journey. This is very plain. A word had fallen on her ear—a simple word—a word that was true whether she believed it or not—a word, the truth of which in no wise depended on her; this word removed her fears, and gave her peace of mind. She had confidence in it—she believed it, and thus she got peace. She did not reason about it; she did not begin to say, “But what shall I do if I am not in the right carriage, after all?” No, she simply believed, and thus, without a single misgiving, she sat still, assured that in due time she would reach the desired terminus. In vain might some fellow-passenger raise doubts and give false alarms; the official’s “Yes,” settled everything. Confidence in his word gave quietness of spirit—a quietness which nothing disturbed. And so will confidence, trust, in the word of God give peace to every troubled soul.—The Watchword.