p. 14 | HOME AND FIRESIDE by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 9, 1912

HOME AND FIRESIDE

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

“All These Things Are Against Me”

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

HERE are too many pessimists both in the world and in the church. Indeed, there are times in the lives of the most optimistic of us when it seems that the clouds will never break nor the sun ever shine again. But if, at such times as this, we might only remember that God lives and reigns, and that His promises never yet failed and never will, methinks it would be a wondrously uplifting power in our lives.

We have all had strange experiences,—experiences which are given us not to harass and perplex, trouble and annoy, but are only meant by the wise Master Workman to teach us patience and to develop character. How often the very trials that have seemed the sorest at the time, have actually turned to be blessings in disguise! O, I tell you, it is not best that we should see and understand every step of the onward way. We are to learn to walk by faith, not by sight.

Jacob lost sight of this truth when he exclaimed pathetically, “All these things are against me.” What things?—Ah, the saddest thing in the world—trouble of a personal nature—family trouble. Rachel, his beloved wife, had died, and while his heart was still sore, their son, young Joseph, had disappeared as completely as if the earth had swallowed him up. The sorely distressed father had never received the faintest clue, and finally the lad was given up as dead. Meanwhile the awful secret had been buried deep in the hearts of the guilty brethren.

And now, as if this sorrow were not enough for the aged man to endure, gaunt famine visits their country. Their scanty store of provisions is now nearly gone. Finally the brethren decide to make a journey into Egypt.

We know the result, and how this brought about the happy reunion between the afflicted father and his lost son.

And so it turned out that instead of “all these things” being against the aged patriarch, they were really most signal and wonderful providences of God, designed to accomplish that which indeed they did accomplish,—the bringing again of his dearly loved Joseph, as well as the saving of the lives of many thousand people.

A dear little woman said to me the other day: “Last winter, my husband and I prayed God very earnestly to grant us something which to us at the time seemed especially desirable. He did not give us our request. And now we both plainly see that had He done so, it would have been the very worst possible thing which could happen; therefore we thank Him for withholding the one-time coveted blessing.”

It is thus many, many times. We are about to make a journey. Everything is in readiness to start the next morning. Days have been spent in preparation for the trip. But in this last night, we are taken very ill. The boat sails without us—only to founder upon the rocks and sink in mid-ocean. When we read of the terrible loss of life and property, we thank God that we were kept at home; tho at the time, it seemed almost a calamity, and we were inclined to declare that “all these things are against me.”

When Elijah fled for his life from the fury of Jezebel, he went and sat down under a juniper-tree, in the dreary wilderness of Paran. Surely, he thought, “all these things are against me;” let me die now, Lord; take away my life.

Well, neither did the Lord allow Elijah his request; but He gave him something better, better far than the cruel knife of the angry queen.—He took him, alive, to dwell forever in His blessed presence.

When the servant of the prophet Elisha saw the armies of the king of Syria, who had come down and compassed the city of Dothan, he also thought, “All these things are against me,” and cried out with trembling voice, “Alas, my master! how shall we do?”

But the Lord was at work; and out of this seeming disaster, He wrought a great victory; for peace was declared between Israel and Syria.

Instances might be multiplied. Paul the apostle, with his companion, had been thrust into prison. Escape seemed impossible. Their clothes had been rudely torn from their bodies, their feet bound in the stocks, and their backs were bare and bleeding.

But I am glad to say that instead of losing faith and hope in God, and declaring that all these things were against them, these two noble soldiers of the cross prayed and sang praises to God. Then came the earthquake and the miraculous opening of the prison doors, resulting in the conversion of the jailer and his entire household.

O, the ways of God are wonderful! All things in heaven and in earth are His instruments. He is not dependent upon feeble man to work His will; angels who excel in strength wait to do His bidding, and He has promised that no good thing will He withhold from His children, and that He will “perfect that which concerneth” them.

Then, since ALL things shall work together for our good, does it become us to be downcast and embittered, when our God is working out all manner of deliverances and all manner of blessings for us? Instead of crying out in despair and bitterness, “All these things are against me,” shall we not declare with smiling face and grateful heart, “All things are working together for my good”?