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Life Sketches of Ellen G. White
infirmities, but I am improving. The great Restorer is working in my
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behalf, and I praise His holy name. My limbs are gaining in strength,
and although I suffer pain, it is not nearly as severe as it has been
during the past ten months. I am now so far restored that by taking
hold of the balusters I can walk up and down stairs without assistance.
All through my long affliction I have been most signally blessed of
God. In the most severe conflicts with intense pain, I realized the
assurance, ‘My grace is sufficient for you.’ At times when it seemed
that I could not endure the pain, when unable to sleep, I looked to
Jesus by faith, and His presence was with me, every shade of darkness
rolled away, a hollowed light enshrouded me, the very room was filled
with the light of His divine presence.
“I have felt that I could welcome suffering if this precious grace
was to accompany it. I knew the Lord is good and gracious and full of
mercy and compassion and tender, pitying love. In my helplessness
and suffering, His praise has filled my soul and has been upon my
lips. My meditation has been so comforting and so strengthening as
I have thought how much worse condition I should be in without the
sustaining grace of God. My eyesight is continued to me, my memory
has been preserved, and my mind has never been more clear and active
in seeing the beauty and preciousness of truth.
“What rich blessings are there! With the psalmist I could say:
‘How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the
sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the
sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee.’
Psalm 139:17, 18
. These
last words express my feelings and experience. When I awake, the first
thought and expression of my heart is: ‘Praise the Lord! I love Thee,
O Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee! Precious Saviour, Thou hast
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bought me with the price of Thine own blood. Thou hast considered
me of value, or Thou wouldst not have paid an infinite price for my
salvation. Thou, my Redeemer, hast given Thy life for me, and Thou
shalt not have died for me in vain.’ ...
“Since the first few weeks of my affliction, I have had no doubts
in regard to my duty in coming to this distant field; and more than
this, my confidence in my heavenly Father’s plan in my affliction has
been greatly increased. I cannot now see all the purpose of God, but I
am confident it was a part of His plan that I should be thus afflicted,
and I am content and perfectly at ease in the matter. With the writings