Another case is that of "Brother H," we shall call him. Brother H was afflicted with tuberculosis. He was called to the ministry, was a splendid singer, mightily gifted in prayer, and was used of G.o.d in working several remarkable miracles of healing. His family was numerous, much more so than his afflicted condition made possible for him to support. He lived in a small three-room house, with eight or nine children and an overburdened wife. He could do no work. His neighbors frowned on him and persecuted him mildly for not working. His home was the very picture of poverty; nothing could be worse in that line, scarcely. Yet he was a man of the highest Christian integrity and faith, and was one of the happiest Christians one could meet. And his happiness was not that of the careless man, not the happiness of a callous, uneducated person; for he felt keenly the poverty to which he was subjected and was always embarra.s.sed at his state and the condition of his home. He had that fine intuition and grace of a gentleman of the highest order; and yet he was happy in the Lord. His happiness was the genuine joy of full salvation in his heart, born of a faith that believed all things were working together for his good.
Entire sanctification is not something that takes troubles out of the life, neither does it change one"s outward circ.u.mstances; but it does lift the soul above all earthly troubles and let it soar in G.o.d"s free air of victory.
To the fully consecrated soul there are no "second causes"; that is, no one is between him and G.o.d who can harm him or affect him in any way apart from G.o.d"s will. It may be that others will mistreat us grievously, and their acts be wrong and utterly opposed to G.o.d"s will; but those acts have had to pa.s.s G.o.d"s will in getting to us. By this they become the will of G.o.d to us. For instance, some one may persecute us. The spirit of persecution is wicked and G.o.d has nothing to do with it; but before that persecution reaches us it must pa.s.s G.o.d"s will; so the persecution becomes G.o.d"s will to us, and we bear it for His sake. G.o.d may put some bad medicine in human bottles and cause us to drink of them for our good.
This victorious life is a life on wings. We are to mount up with wings as eagles. The wings are faith and consecration. When troubles come, we flap our wings and fly over them. Since we are G.o.d"s, it is His place to bring us out and help us over, hence the fully consecrated soul trusts, and lets G.o.d work matters out. Of course, this does not mean that we shall not help ourselves. In fact, little trust can be exercised until we have done all we can do to help ourselves; but if we can not avail or prevail, we carry it to the Lord and leave it with Him to work out.
David speaks of the Lord"s hiding him in His secret place, in His pavilion, under His wings. Jesus has said that not a hair of our head shall fall without our Father"s notice. Peter says we are to cast all our care upon G.o.d, for G.o.d careth for us. And Paul exhorts us to be careful for nothing, but with prayer and thanksgiving let our requests be known to G.o.d.
The greatest of all comforts is this, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love G.o.d" (Romans 8:28). "All things"
means _all things_. The Christian who gives up all is certain of G.o.d"s continual care and protection. He can not expect to escape trouble or trial or temptation; but he is kept in these things. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee." "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." That is, nothing shall cause them to fall. They may be hurt, and be wounded by the inconsiderate or deliberate acts or words of others; but they will sail on in peace in G.o.d.
The will of G.o.d surrounds us like a wall, and nothing can penetrate that wall and touch our consecrated souls unless G.o.d so wills, or permits.
Of all lives, the victorious life is the richest and best. There is joy in serving, giving, sacrificing. If we are persecuted for Christ"s sake, there is great joy. Life"s problems are met with faith. A colored woman who had to wash for a living was very happy all the time. Rich women would marvel at her peace of mind, and one time one of them chided her for her optimism, which to the rich woman seemed based on nothing. "Why, suppose you should get sick, or suppose something should happen," said her rich friend. "Oh, I never supposes," said the poor woman. "That is what is the matter with you, you supposes and supposes and imagines all lands of ill coming on you. The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want. So I never supposes, I know everything will come out all right."
She just flapped her wings, so to speak, and flew over her troubles.
The victorious life is free from worry, fretting, overanxious solicitude, burdensome care. It is free from malice, ill will, retaliation. It is free from bad temper, sees the bright side of things, and wears its clouds inside out. The sanctified life is a life of faith, and it is a life of obedience. To trust has to it become a habit, to obey a second nature. The victorious life looks not behind, but ahead; it ignores past failures and goes forward in faith.
And this victorious life is for all. Instead of being for favored folk, it is for the weak, the burdened, the poor, the sick, the troubled, the persecuted. Enter in by consecration and faith. Yield all just now. Lay all on G.o.d"s altar. Be His alone. Then by faith enter into this life which will be yours every day as you live by faith and trust and obey.