Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Make a Way



Make a Way by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman (Streams in the Desert)


"I will make all my mountains a way" (Isa.49:11).

God will make obstacles serve His purpose. We all have mountains in our lives. There are people and things that threaten to bar our progress in the Divine life. Those heavy claims, that uncongenial occupation, that thorn in the flesh, that daily cross--we think that if only these were removed we might live purer, tenderer, holier lives; and often we pray for their removal.

"Oh, fools, and slow of heart!" These are the very conditions of achievement; they have been put into our lives as the means to the very graces and virtues for which we have been praying so long. Thou hast prayed for patience through long years, but there is something that tries thee beyond endurance; thou hast fled from it, evaded it, accounted it an unsurmountable obstacle to the desired attainment, and supposed that its removal would secure thy immediate deliverance and victory.

Not so! Thou wouldest gain only the cessation of temptations to impatience. But this would not be patience. Patience can be acquired only through just such trials as now seem unbearable.
Go back; submit thyself. Claim to be a partaker in the patience of Jesus. Meet thy trials in Him. There is nothing in life which harasses and annoys that may not become subservient to the highest ends. They are His mountains. He puts them there. We know that God will not fail to keep His promise. "God understandeth the way thereof and knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven"; and when we come to the foot of the mountains, we shall find the way.--Christ in Isaiah, by Meyer

"The meaning of trial is not only to test worthiness, but to increase it; as the oak is not only tested by the storm, but toughened by them."

6 comments:

  1. So beautiful and true, Carla. The picture is just perfect and fits the words so well! Bless you.

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  2. Were we in the same prayer closet this week, Carla? I'm thinking you read my post "Heading to the Hills . . ." with similar photo and Streams in the Desert quote.

    God's doing something.

    Nice to meet you along the way.

    Joy in the journey!
    Kathryn Ross

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  3. That was very elegant. Thank you for the encouragement. Its weird how perfect the Holy Spirit allows articles to be found.

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  4. Isn't that something, Kathryn! I saw your post after I put this one up and couldn't believe it. Nice to cross paths with you. The Lord is making a way indeed!

    Thank you for stopping by.

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  5. Yes, Jackie, isn't that so very true. That Streams in the Desert devotional was up yesterday and I had to share it. And then I also came across Kathryn's beautiful site with something similiar. Is the Lord trying to share a message with me, with us? I'm glad you took the time to come by today.

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  6. Hi Laura, yes, and I know how you enjoy Steams in the Desert, too. The photo could have said it all, but Streams always has a wonderful way of ministering to me.

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