Following Christ Will Not Prevent Our Having Earthly Sorrows And Troubles

Here are the chosen disciples of the Lord Jesus in great trouble. 

The faithful little flock, which believed when priests and scribes and Pharisees were all alike unbelieving, is allowed by the Shepherd to be much disturbed.

The fear of death breaks in upon them like an armed man.

The deep water seems likely to go over their souls. Peter, James and John, the pillars of the Church about to be planted in the world, are much distressed.

Perhaps they had not reckoned on all this. Perhaps they had expected that Christ's service would at any rate lift them above the reach of earthly trials.

Perhaps they thought that He, who could raise the dead and heal the sick and feed multitudes with a few loaves and cast out devils with a word would never allow His servants to be sufferers upon earth.

Perhaps they had supposed He would always grant them smooth journeys, fine weather, an easy course and freedom from trouble and care.

If the disciples thought so, they were much mistaken.

The Lord Jesus taught that a man may be one of His chosen servants and yet have to go through many a trouble, and endure many a pain.

It is good to understand this clearly. It is good to understand that Christ's service never did secure a man from all the ills that flesh is heir to, and never will.

If you are a believer, you must reckon on having your share of sickness and pain, of sorrow and tears, of losses and crosses, of deaths and bereavements, of partings and separations, of vexations and disappointments so long as you are in the body.

Christ never promises that you shall get to Heaven without these.

He has promised that all who come to Him shall have all things pertaining to life and godliness; but He has never promised that He will make them prosperous, or rich, or healthy, and that death and sorrow shall never come to their family.

I have the privilege of being one of Christ's ambassadors. In His name I can offer eternal life to any man, woman or child who is willing to have it. 

In His name I offer pardon, peace, grace, glory, to any son or daughter of Adam who reads this message. 

But I dare not offer that person worldly prosperity as part and parcel of the Gospel. 

I dare not offer him long life, an increased income and freedom from pain.

I dare not promise the man who takes up the cross and follows Christ that in following Him he shall never meet with a storm.

I know well that many do not like these terms. 

They would prefer having Christ and good health, Christ and plenty of money, Christ and no deaths in their family, Christ  and no wearing cares, Christ and a perpetual morning without clouds.

But they do not like Christ and the cross, Christ and tribulation, Christ and the conflict, Christ and the howling wind, Christ and the storm.

Is this the secret thought of anyone who is reading this message? Believe me, if it is, you are very wrong. Listen to me, and I will try to show you have yet much to learn.

How would you know who are true Christians-if following Christ was the way to be free from trouble?

How would we discern the wheat from the chaff-if it were not for the winnowing of trial?

How would we know whether men served Christ for His own sake or from selfish motives-if His service brought health and wealth with it as a matter of course?

The winds of winter soon show us which of the trees are evergreen and which are not.

The storms of affliction and care are useful in the same way. They reveal whose faith is real and whose is nothing but profession and form.

How would the great work of sanctification go on in a man if he had no trials?

Trouble is often the only fire which will burn away the dross that clings to our hearts. 

Trouble is the pruning-knife which the great Gardener employs in order to make us fruitful in good works.

The harvest of the Lord's field is seldom ripened by sunshine only. It must go through its days of wind and rain and storm.

If you desire to serve Christ and be saved, I entreat you to take the Lord on His own terms.

Make up your mind to meet with your share of crosses and sorrows and then you will not be surprised. For lack of understanding this, many seem to run well for a season, and then turn back in disgust, and are cast away.

If you profess to be a child of God, leave to the Lord Jesus to sanctify you in His own way. 

Rest satisfied that He never makes any mistakes. Be sure that He does all things well.

The winds may howl around you, and waters swell. But fear not, He is leading you by the right way, that He may bring you to a city of habitation.

Psa 107:7  And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 

~Charles Spurgeon~