HOW WE MUST CALL UPON AND BLESS THE LORD WHEN
TROUBLE PRESSES
THE DISCIPLE
BLESSED be Your name forever, O Lord, Who have willed that this
temptation and trouble come upon me. I cannot escape it, yet I must
fly to You that You may help me and turn it to my good. Now I am
troubled, Lord, and my heart is not at rest, for I am greatly
afflicted by this present suffering.
Beloved Father, what shall I say? I am straitened in harsh
ways. Save me from this hour to which, however, I am come that You may
be glorified when I am deeply humbled and freed by You. May it please
You, then, to deliver me, Lord, for what can I, poor wretch that I am,
do or where can I go without You? Give me patience, Lord, even now.
Help me, my God, and I will not be afraid however much I may be
distressed.
But here, in the midst of these troubles, what shall I say?
Your will be done, Lord. I have richly deserved to be troubled and
distressed. But I must bear it. Would that I could do so patiently,
until the storm passes and calm returns! Yet Your almighty hand can
take this temptation from me, or lighten its attack so that I do not
altogether sink beneath it, as You, my God, my Mercy, have very often
done for me before. And the more difficult my plight, the easier for
You is this change of the right hand of the Most High. |
How when tribulation cometh we must call upon and
bless God
Blessed be thy name, O Lord, for evermore, who
hast willed this temptation and trouble to come upon me. I cannot
escape it, but have need to flee unto Thee, that Thou mayest succour
me and turn it unto me for good. Lord, now am I in tribulation, and
it is not well within my heart, but I am sore vexed by the suffering
which lieth upon me. And now, O dear Father, what shall I say? I am
taken among the snares. Save me from this hour, but for this cause
came I unto this hour,(1) that Thou mightest be glorified when I am
deeply humbled and am delivered through Thee. Let it be Thy pleasure
to deliver me;(2) for what can I do who am poor, and without Thee
whither shall I go? Give patience this time also. Help me, O Lord my
God, and I will not fear how much soever I be weighed down.
2. And now amid these things what shall I say?
Lord, Thy will be done. I have well deserved to be troubled and
weighed down. Therefore I ought to bear, would that it be with
patience, until the tempest be overpast and comfort return. Yet is
Thine omnipotent arm able also to take this temptation away from me,
and to lessen its power that I fall not utterly under it, even as many
a time past thou has helped me, O God, my merciful God. And as much
as this deliverance is difficult to me, so much is it easy to Thee, O
right hand of the most Highest. |