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Cast thy Burden Upon the Lord, July 16
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never
suffer the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22
.
Dear Brother: I have the most tender love for you, and would that it were
otherwise with you; that those pursuing you would let you alone. But, my brother,
you must bear in mind that these perplexities and annoying things are included in
the “all things” that work together for good to those who love God. The Lord’s
eye is upon you.... If you will keep up good courage, if you will stay your soul
upon God, if you will trust your heavenly Father as a child trusts its parent, and
deal justly and love mercy, God can and will work with you. Then amid all your
trials you will honor God, and His promise is sure, “Them that honour me I will
honour” (
1 Samuel 2:30
).
Remember that your experience is not the first of the kind. You know the
history of Joseph and of Daniel. The Lord did not prevent the wicked plottings of
their enemies, but He caused all their devices to work for good to those who kept
their faith and loyalty amid trial and conflict.
The furnace fires are not to ... [destroy], but to refine, ennoble, sanctify.
Without these trials we would not feel so much our need of God and His help.
We would become proud and self-sufficient. In these trials I see evidence that the
Lord’s eye is upon you, and that He means to draw your heart to Himself. It is not
the whole, but the wounded, who need a physician; those who are pressed almost
beyond the point of endurance, who need a Helper. Turn unto the stronghold.
Learn the precious lesson, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek
and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light” (
Matthew 11:28-30
).
Jesus loves you. The experience which you are having makes me glad, not
because you are a sufferer, but because this is evidence to me that the Lord is
testing and proving you to see if you will come to Him, to see if you will put your
trust in Him, if you will find peace and rest in His love....
Jesus has not left you to be surprised and amazed at the trials and difficulties
you meet. He has told you all about them, and He has also told you that you
should not be cast down and oppressed when trials come. You are to look to Jesus,
your Redeemer, and be cheerful and rejoice.... We have a living Saviour, who so
loved us that He died for us, that through Him we might have hope, strength, and
courage, and a seat with Him upon His throne.—
Letter 8, July 16, 1886
, to Dr. J.
H. Kellogg, director of Battle Creek Sanitarium.
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