October 25 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 126

Devotional

Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything. They dwell more on what they’ve gone through than on what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they’ll describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has granted them.

But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward cheerfully and say, “I’ll speak, not about myself, but about the honour of my God. ‘He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand’ (Ps 40:2). The Lord has done great things for me, and I am filled with joy.”

Such a synopsis of experience as this is the very best that any child of God can present. It is true that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out of them. It is true that we have our corruptions—oh, how mournfully we know this—but it is just as true that we have an all-sufficient Saviour who overcomes these corruptions and delivers us from their dominion. In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been in the Slough of Despond and have crept along the Valley of Humiliation, but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been through them safely and profitably. We have not remained in them, thanks to our Almighty Helper and Leader who has brought us “to a place of abundance” (Ps. 66:12). The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God, who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise; we reckon them to be the bass harmony in our life’s song, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”

[June 9, morning]

Extracted from C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening (public domain), language modernized by Larry E. Wilson.