Your ShelfYour Projects

Use of Sorrow

20%

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 4, 1871

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 37, No. 16.

Read the full edition

Use of Sorrow.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

The other day I was feeling very sad and gloomy over my infirmities, errors, and sins, and what I was suffering in consequence of them. My heart almost murmured at it. Why must I suffer thus? Why has God allowed such trials and sorrows to come upon me? What good can it possibly accomplish for myself or for any one else?
With these reflections in my mind, my eye rested upon the following scripture: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Cor. 1:3, 4.
Here was a new thought. We are here to help each other. All around us, on every side, there are aching hearts, sorrowing hearts, desolate hearts, disappointed plans, blasted hopes, men and women encompassed with infirmities, with weaknesses, and with errors, repenting, halting, doubting, fearing, and hoping. Oh! my soul, who can help all these? Certainly not that person who has never experienced any of these things. How could such an one sympathize with these poor souls? It would be impossible. No, I see now that adversity and trouble are necessary to prepare us, to soften our hearts, to ripen us up, and make us able to comfort others. This is what Paul seems to mean—“God” says he “comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble.” All of us, but especially the ministers and those who labor with him, need just this preparation. Paul cries out, “I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.” Rom. 9:2. My case can not be worse than that. How many thousands of sorrowing hearts have found sweet consolation in the Psalms. These Psalms were poured forth from a heart filled with anguish. The flower must be crushed to yield its sweetest fragrance.
Dear friend, are you suffering and grieving over it? Do you question God’s providence? If you will but patiently trust him you will yet see that God only meant it for good, to fit you for the work he has for you. The language of the heart is, “O my soul, hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him.” D. M. CANRIGHT.