Wilderness Trainings by E. H. Whitney

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 3, 1871

Wilderness Trainings.

By E. H. Whitney

“And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” Isa. 42:16.

Recently, I listened to a sermon from this text. The speaker mentioned the devious ways and unknown paths by which God often leads his children, blinded by the earthly veil which conceals him from us—ways leading sometimes through the valley of affliction where blow after blow is struck at our happiness; and we in our blindness cannot see why we are thus tried; sometimes through bitter disappointments when our hopes are blasted just at the opening; and, again, where dark clouds of doubt and fear gather round the believer, shutting out for a time his Father’s face.

The children of Israel were led through unknown paths from the land of their thralldom into the promised inheritance.

Through faith, they crossed the waters of the Red Sea—a way impassable save as God’s hand led them. And then as faith flagged or revived they were led backward or forward on their journey at times almost cut off from before the Lord—and anon, as they showed signs of repentance, cheered by some token of his favor; showing that God did not forget his people, even in their sinfulness and wanderings.

But why were their wanderings permitted? Were they not to show them their own weakness

and dependence? To teach them where to look for strength? Their long slavery had unfitted them for the conflicts that awaited them on the borders of the promised land, and they needed these wilderness trainings to fit them for what lay before them.

The people of God of all times have needed such discipline, and will to the end. When we get too careless or too confident, and forget from whence our help cometh, we wander away from the side of our Leader into blind ways of sin. So may we see our own frailty, and learn humility.

Sometimes when we feel that we have strayed away from our Guide, and begin to cry for help, he leaves us to call unanswered for a time; to grope about in the palpable darkness of our own hearts, reaching after him in our helplessness, and thinking him a long way off; when, if we could only feel it, he is very near, only waiting till we shall cry with more importunate earnestness ere he lift the veil and let in the light of his smile.

Often, too, our prayers are answered as we least expect, and in ways sorely trying to our faith. We pray for holiness and purity, and he places us in the furnace of affliction, till the dross shall be purged away. We ask to be transformed into his image and to have our hearts fixed upon him, and he cuts away the unsightly proportions with blows that sometimes seem cruelly sharp, and takes our affections to himself by severing the links that bind us to earth. We pray that we may lay up treasure in Heaven, and he takes away our earthly treasure. We ask humility and meekness, and he sends us crosses and bitter disappointments, to teach us meekness and humility.

Such in part were the thoughts presented that day, and in part the answering train awakened in my own mind. I had wandered away from my Saviour, and had listened in vain for an answer to my returning cry. Like his wandering children of old, I feared the Lord had left me to the devices of my own heart.

I was cheered and encouraged to cry on till he answered, knowing that he was near.

Are there none who may see these words who have felt these “wilderness trainings,” or are even now in this bitter experience? “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.” Are there any who are passing through the fires of affliction? So he sitteth as a refiner. He sees what measure of trial is needed to separate the bright gold. He knows how much we can bear. He will not try us beyond our strength.

Are there any to whom the sky seems an arch of brass to turn back every petition? Pray on—for because of your importunity he will hear you. And if your prayers are answered in ways not in accordance with your expectations, remember, “He doeth all things well.”

Are there those to whom life’s journey seems to lie all through the wilderness? Look with faith to the dawn of a brighter day, remembering that, though “weeping may endure for a night,” yet “joy cometh in the morning.” We need these wilderness trainings to fit us more fully for the work here, and the joys hereafter. We have not yet come up to the standard set for us. We need pruning and training to grow into “the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Our feet have not learned to keep time to God’s music; they need much drilling yet. Our sojourn in the Egyptian darkness and slavery of sin, has left us but poorly fitted to “go up and possess the land,” or to meet the conflicts which yet lie between it and us. Dark shadows of night await us yet before the glorious dawn for which we look. But what saith the Lord our God? “These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”

Shall we doubt the word of the Lord?

E. H. WHITNEY.

Franklin Co., N. Y.