Steadfast Peace in Weariness

ALMIGHTY GOD, we are but weaklings, and there be many things in this world to confound us; its history a mystery, its meaning not all clear, its end a conjecture. And when we look within us, there is so much to confound us; the warring heart never at rest; the earthly life that brings us down, and the heavenly desire that lifts us up; great hopes now dim, great fears now strong, now we sin, now we do right; now we are longing for Divineness, now sunk beneath our manliness; singing, weeping; needing mercy and asking none, or needing mercy and asking much; so strange and vast the changings, so great the shiftings of this life of ours, that at times we seem to be confounded. What can we do, but put our trust in Thee? Show us that these clouds and earth-mists are all within Thy hand, known to Thee, seen by Thee, guarded by Thee, guided by Thee into issues that are Thine.

We beseech Thee more and more to shut us in to lowly trust and confiding faith. May we trust more than we know, and believe more than we see. Let our belief have one eternal article that never changes: God is great, His name is Love, He lives for evermore.

When we look at ourselves and those around us, help us to say, “God desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live.”

Let us trust Thee, and grant that this perfect trust may bring us to perfect peace; and tossed as we are by the unrest of this world, nevertheless let there be times when Thy beloved shall have peace. Let visions of the better life steal over us, and dreams of a far-off paradise comfort our souls. Grant that however dark at times may be our life, some melody of the eternal chime may come across us, and we may be lifted up to the great hope that one day all these tangled things shall be smoothed out, and the vexed things of earth made plain in the light of heaven.

Almighty God! if we could but have more steadfastness it were well for us. Give us some portion of Thine. And when all things in this world waver and rock, then let us remember that Thou changest not. When our little lives seem so vexed with change, then let us remember Thy fixedness and say: “It is well!”

When, Lord God, we think of those that we have loved and have not, and long for and can find them not, give us faith to believe that not out of Thy sight are they gone, though out of ours; that in some other place of Thy large Divine life they are, and that one day the door of death shall open, and we, passing through, shall behold them made beauteous with the sleep of death, made radiant with the Life of God.

In sorrow and trouble, let us not be obstinate and proud, but lowly and humble, always trusting Thee, that what is best for our souls Thou hast done; what is best for our spirits Thou wilt do. May we leave all, O God, to Thee. Thou art great, we are nothing. Love us, lift us, strengthen us. Guide us even to the end, and afterward receive us to glory. We ask it in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.—AMEN.