p. 616 | CONSTANCY by I. E. Kimball

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 7, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 39.

CONSTANCY.

By I. E. Kimball

BY I. E. KIMBALL.

ONE characteristic above all others is essential to the Christian; he must possess the quality of steadfastness and constancy. How very important this is some little realize. “Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel,” said the patriarch to Reuben, his son. The instability of water is illustrated by James in these words: “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. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

We are not to be moved and turned about by varying circumstances and conditions. James again says, in connection with the above passage: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” Faith does not at all permit of vacillations. All things are possible to him that believeth for all things, and takes hold upon them.

In contrast with the instability of water and of humanity, God is declared to be the “Rock of Ages.” His word is enduring and permanent, unchangeable. So Christ was a stone, tried, precious, a stone upon which all must fall and be broken. The name Peter, from petros, given to Simon, signifies a stone, and after he was converted he bore out the character acceptably.

The intent of God is to make us all just like himself. “I have said ye are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.” That enduring, unchangeable, inflexible nature is to come into us, so God’s life and character can be revealed in us. Then he may ever depend upon us. Varying moods spoil everything—yesterday all faith, to-day none; yesterday my light brightly shone, to-day my light is in darkness; yesterday I was led of God, to-day I accept Satan’s leadership. Who cannot see how much injury this works to the cause of Christ?

One so affected by circumstances cannot be relied upon. Satan knows just how to turn him aside, and he will do it. God knows that he will allow himself thus to be turned about, so can place no dependence upon him.

It is the will of God to make our life his life, our word his word, our works his own. We must therefore be settled, fixed, and grounded as the Rock of Ages, that God may appear, revealing himself in us. A faith that becomes thus fixed is requited by the fullness of the Lord. Wisdom, strength, godliness, and life are the sure fruits.

But how much time we lose, and how much we suffer, when we have spasms of faith and spasms of faithlessness. When in faith, we do the works of God; when faithless, we drop back upon self. And whose works do we then do?

One neutralizes the other. Our life as Christians is almost a blank. The Lord must needs bring us over and over the same ground—no progress, no growth. We seem to be at a standstill. Why?—Because we have not perfected anything. We have not taken hold of his strength sufficiently to accomplish what he has already assigned us. Why should he give us more?—It would only discourage but in no way help us. When we take hold of his life and power in living faith, and perfect our way according to his testimony, then the way will be open for a more full revelation of himself to us.

Those who know themselves to be fitful and flighty, passionate, easily controlled by circumstances, who have but little control over themselves, should remember that through the strength of God, so freely given, they may lay self aside as a worn-out garment, and by using the Lord’s strength with special eye to their weaknesses, they may make their weak points their strong ones, and so be fitted for responsibilities and every good work.

Jamaica, Vt.