When Sorrow Comes
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I then took my place among the speakers, and before the congre-
gation bore a testimony such as they had never before heard. It was as
if one had been raised from the dead. That whole year had been one
of preparation for this change. And this sign the people in Healdsburg
were to have as a witness for the truth....
My sister, no longer show any distrust of our Lord Jesus Christ. Go
forward in faith, believing you will meet your husband in the kingdom
of God. Do your very best to prepare the living to become members of
the royal family and children of the heavenly King. This is our work
now; this is your work. Do it faithfully, and believe that you will meet
your husband in the City of God. Do what you can to help others to be
cheerful. Uplift souls. Lead them to accept Christ. Never torture your
soul as you have been doing, but be humble, true, faithful, and you
have the word of God that you will meet when the warfare is ended.
Be of good cheer.—
Letter 82, 1906
.
Written to Sister Chapman, an old friend in the faith, at the time of
her life companion’s death
.
Dear Sister Chapman,
I think of you every day and sympathize with you. What can I say
to you in this, the greatest sorrow that has come to you in your life?
Words fail me at this time. I can only commend you to God and to
a compassionate Saviour. In Him is rest and peace. From Him you
may receive your consolation. Jesus loves and pities as we have no
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power to do. Jesus Christ Himself does sustain you; His everlasting
arms are beneath, His words can heal. We cannot possibly penetrate
into the secret councils of God. The disappointments and distress and
perplexities, the bereavements we meet, are not to drive us from God
but bring us nearer to Him.
How we pant and are weary and agonized in carrying ourselves
and our burden! When we come to Jesus, feeling unable to bear these
loads one instant longer, and lay them upon the Burden-bearer, rest and
peace will come. We do go stumbling along under our heavy loads,
making ourselves miserable every day because we do not take to our
hearts the gracious promises of God. He will accept us, all unworthy,
through Jesus Christ. Never let us lose sight of the promise that Jesus
loves us. His grace is waiting our demand upon it.
My dear afflicted sister, I know by experience what you are passing
through. I have been going over the road with you that I have so