The last reason for this Holy Spirit caused desertion is that we may be a benefit to the lives of other believers through our own experience. We are brought into such an experience of desertion and depression so that we may reach out and comfort another in their time of great need. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ."
Nathaniel Whiting writes on this matter in his book, Old Jacob’s Altar Newly Repaired:
"I am much persuaded that if an experienced Christian would make a humble and faithful narrative of his own condition to a deserted saint, and tell him, ‘Such has been my case: time was when the Lord his face from me, when the loving kindnesses of God were shut up in displeasure against me, when I had lost all communion with God, all sense of pardoning and accepting grace with God, when I could not pour forth my soul in prayer unto God, and when I had no incomes by way of comfort from God…but by the goodness of the Lord, the mist is broke up, the clouds are scattered, the face of God appears again, and I find joy and peace and comfort in my soul: yea, the beams of God’s favour shine brighter, and the streams of consolation run on more fresh and freely than ever they did…’ that these experiments as to desertion and as to consolation…would marvelously revive a drooping saint, and make his stooping heart glad."
The one who by experience has gone through the trials of life and the sense of desertion by God has much more to offer another than the scholar who has read of such things through many books. Christopher Love sums it up best, "…those that have been tempted, those whose consciences have been troubled, those are the fittest men to succour those that are in that condition; God chooses broken vessels to pour into, that they may diffuse it unto others."
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Dark Night of the Soul- part 5 of 6
The fourth main reason for the Holy Spirit’s leading into a spiritual desertion is in relation to sin in general. Each of us is tempted at times to treat particular sins lightly, or to compromise with certain sins that we believe are private and of have no effect upon others. Yet, to God all sin is an offense and must be dealt with directly and succinctly. All sin, whether it is a matter of a secret habit or not, will eventually find its way outward to negatively affect our relationships.
Christopher Love gives his perspective on the matter when he writes in his treatise, The Dejected Soul’s Cure, "God may withdraw his love and favour from the soul out of an act of wisdom, that thereby he may let his people see and consider that there is more evil really in sin than ever there did appear seeming good in the commission of sin…and…that thereby he might make his people to be more afraid of sinning against him, lest the comforts be again eclipsed; for I must reason thus, before I commit any sin, that if I do this I break the righteous law of God, and if I do break his law God will break my heart and break my peace; and shall I make no care of committing a sin against God, seeing by the committing thereof I must lie under the sense of Gods’ wrath."
The fifth reason given is similar to the previous, and it relates to the issue of gross sins. These sins are described as gross, willful, and intentional. These are sins that violate the clear mandates of God’s word, and lead to the most severe sense of God’s desertion. They are sins that most grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. These gross sins were thought to grow out of a slow process of contemplation and disposition, whereby God afforded the believer many opportunities to flee from such temptations through a variety of warnings, but the believer heeded not to those warnings. The desertion in this case is most severe, and puts the believer through the refiner’s fire to purge them unto repentance.
The next reason given for such God caused desertions is to draw us and keep us near to Him. Thomas Brooks expounds as follows: "By God’s withdrawing from his people, he prevents his people’s withdrawing from him; and so by an affliction he prevents a sin. For God to withdraw from me is but my affliction, but for me to withdraw from God, that is my sin, Heb. 10:38-39; and therefore it were better for me that God should withdraw a thousand times from me, than that I should once withdraw from God. God therefore forsakes us, that we may not forsake our God."
The result of such a desertion is to allow us to realize how excellent the intimacy we had with God was, and how much we long to have it again. It affords us the opportunity to bring to remembrance that special relationship, and to look forward to embrace it again. It brings to light how everything else pales in comparison to this intimacy, and reduces everything else to a secondary place. Every little complaint previously held and expressed becomes foolishness, and we desire God more than anything or anyone.
Christopher Love gives his perspective on the matter when he writes in his treatise, The Dejected Soul’s Cure, "God may withdraw his love and favour from the soul out of an act of wisdom, that thereby he may let his people see and consider that there is more evil really in sin than ever there did appear seeming good in the commission of sin…and…that thereby he might make his people to be more afraid of sinning against him, lest the comforts be again eclipsed; for I must reason thus, before I commit any sin, that if I do this I break the righteous law of God, and if I do break his law God will break my heart and break my peace; and shall I make no care of committing a sin against God, seeing by the committing thereof I must lie under the sense of Gods’ wrath."
The fifth reason given is similar to the previous, and it relates to the issue of gross sins. These sins are described as gross, willful, and intentional. These are sins that violate the clear mandates of God’s word, and lead to the most severe sense of God’s desertion. They are sins that most grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. These gross sins were thought to grow out of a slow process of contemplation and disposition, whereby God afforded the believer many opportunities to flee from such temptations through a variety of warnings, but the believer heeded not to those warnings. The desertion in this case is most severe, and puts the believer through the refiner’s fire to purge them unto repentance.
The next reason given for such God caused desertions is to draw us and keep us near to Him. Thomas Brooks expounds as follows: "By God’s withdrawing from his people, he prevents his people’s withdrawing from him; and so by an affliction he prevents a sin. For God to withdraw from me is but my affliction, but for me to withdraw from God, that is my sin, Heb. 10:38-39; and therefore it were better for me that God should withdraw a thousand times from me, than that I should once withdraw from God. God therefore forsakes us, that we may not forsake our God."
The result of such a desertion is to allow us to realize how excellent the intimacy we had with God was, and how much we long to have it again. It affords us the opportunity to bring to remembrance that special relationship, and to look forward to embrace it again. It brings to light how everything else pales in comparison to this intimacy, and reduces everything else to a secondary place. Every little complaint previously held and expressed becomes foolishness, and we desire God more than anything or anyone.
Dark Night of the Soul- part 4 of 6
The third reason for a Holy Spirit caused desertion is to develop faith, humility, assurance, prayer, and the fear of God within us. God does not sprinkle us with the fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ, but chooses to blossom the seed of these graces in the midst of life’s circumstances. Will we trust God and the promise of His word, ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you," even when we do not sense His presence? Faith is left barren and naked before the world, in that, it has nothing to hang onto except for God. As John Flavel urges, learn to "exercise the faith of adherence, when you have lost the faith of evidence."
In this desertion, the grace of humility also takes root. We soon discover that we are not that pillar of strength that we once thought, but realize we are weak, and that our gifts and abilities are from Him and for Him. Humility is the necessary foundational element of salvation and sanctification. It is the secret source of our strength. It is the upside-down grace that enables the beatitudes to be lived out, the great commandments to be experienced, and the great commission to be pursued.
As concerning the grace of assurance, Joseph Symonds writes:
"God gives much proof and evidence in the truth of grace which he hath wrought in them, when he makes them see they had hearts that could love him, even when it was doubtful to them whether he loved them. When the truth of grace is evidenced clearly, it brings much comfort, and what greater evidence of an upright heart, than to follow God when he seems to fly away; and to love him when he seems to abhor and hate them; to weep upon him in love when he seems armed with the weapons of death; and to pour out the soul to him, when he seems to be pouring down fire and brimstone upon them."
We are urged to patiently continue to seek God’s favor and presence at every turn, remembering with great encouragement the testimony we have with Him from the past. Perhaps one of the most obvious graces to be developed is that of prayer. In the midst of desertion the believer is often thrust upon his knees with his heart and head bowed praying more earnestly for the presence of God to return (2 Corinthians 12:8-9, Psalm 88:1). The believer who is truly in love with God and desires communion with Him will realize He is gone, and pray most fervently for His return pouring out their heart unto Him until their beloved returns.
The last grace to be developed is that of a reverential fear of God. It is a fear that is tempered with love and not horror. This fear is meant to breed a healthy and holy view of God, one of respect, admiration, and appreciation as should be found in any relation between a parent and child, as well as, between God and His creation.
Symonds writes:
"God will not be carelessly dealt with, though he allow us confidence and holy boldness in approach to him and converse with him, yet he expects a due sense of his majesty and greatness: ‘let us have grace, whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire’ Heb.12:28,29. Though he be a father, yet he is a terrible, a holy and an Almighty God…The fear of God is one of the main pillars of his throne, and so far as he is not our fear he is not our God: therefore he hath ever showed himself in his power and greatness unto men…And in particular persons he so works by intermixtures of frowns and favours, majesty and mercy, that they may learn to walk as those churches did, ‘In the fear of the Lord, and
the comfort of the Holy Ghost’ Acts 9:31"
In this desertion, the grace of humility also takes root. We soon discover that we are not that pillar of strength that we once thought, but realize we are weak, and that our gifts and abilities are from Him and for Him. Humility is the necessary foundational element of salvation and sanctification. It is the secret source of our strength. It is the upside-down grace that enables the beatitudes to be lived out, the great commandments to be experienced, and the great commission to be pursued.
As concerning the grace of assurance, Joseph Symonds writes:
"God gives much proof and evidence in the truth of grace which he hath wrought in them, when he makes them see they had hearts that could love him, even when it was doubtful to them whether he loved them. When the truth of grace is evidenced clearly, it brings much comfort, and what greater evidence of an upright heart, than to follow God when he seems to fly away; and to love him when he seems to abhor and hate them; to weep upon him in love when he seems armed with the weapons of death; and to pour out the soul to him, when he seems to be pouring down fire and brimstone upon them."
We are urged to patiently continue to seek God’s favor and presence at every turn, remembering with great encouragement the testimony we have with Him from the past. Perhaps one of the most obvious graces to be developed is that of prayer. In the midst of desertion the believer is often thrust upon his knees with his heart and head bowed praying more earnestly for the presence of God to return (2 Corinthians 12:8-9, Psalm 88:1). The believer who is truly in love with God and desires communion with Him will realize He is gone, and pray most fervently for His return pouring out their heart unto Him until their beloved returns.
The last grace to be developed is that of a reverential fear of God. It is a fear that is tempered with love and not horror. This fear is meant to breed a healthy and holy view of God, one of respect, admiration, and appreciation as should be found in any relation between a parent and child, as well as, between God and His creation.
Symonds writes:
"God will not be carelessly dealt with, though he allow us confidence and holy boldness in approach to him and converse with him, yet he expects a due sense of his majesty and greatness: ‘let us have grace, whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire’ Heb.12:28,29. Though he be a father, yet he is a terrible, a holy and an Almighty God…The fear of God is one of the main pillars of his throne, and so far as he is not our fear he is not our God: therefore he hath ever showed himself in his power and greatness unto men…And in particular persons he so works by intermixtures of frowns and favours, majesty and mercy, that they may learn to walk as those churches did, ‘In the fear of the Lord, and
the comfort of the Holy Ghost’ Acts 9:31"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)