Real Faith and Deep Struggle

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Powerful and beautiful words, written by William Cowper (pronounced Cooper) in 1774.  Cowper wrote more than 50 hymns, many of which are among the best loved worship songs in the Christian church.  One of his best friends, his confidant, and a man who ministered to him throughout his life was Pastor John Newton, the former slave trader and author of the hymn Amazing Grace. 

We might read the words above and be tempted to think them shallow and full of wishful thinking, composed by an individual either untouched by difficulty or in denial about the obvious and very painful realities of life.  But that is not the case... this man who was so gifted, and wrote so powerfully of the manifold grace of God struggled his entire life to overcome bouts of severe depression, which often led him to despair and attempted suicide.  The end of his life was marked by a prolonged period of darkness, in which he was convinced that he was beyond saving and eternally damned.

William Cowper's life reminds us that it is possible to acknowledge and believe the truth about God, things he wrote about in such a profound manner, and it is possible to be surrounded by the best loved and most gifted Pastors/shepherds of the day and still struggle deeply to receive these truths and find victory over sin and difficulty (learn more about Cooper here).

I have been reminded of this truth in a profound way by recent circumstances in the life of a dear friend.  I am still working through the implications for my own life and ministry, but there are several thoughts I am considering at this point:

First, I need to be careful and patient as I encourage my fellow Christians.  There are seasons in every life, and the periods of darkness do not necessarily negate the presence of real faith.  Even those we look to as spiritual champions, such as Charles Spurgeon, have gone through significant seasons of doubt, depression, and weakness. 

Second, we as believers need to be more transparent in our communication to the unbelieving world.  The Bible describes life as it really is, with all its peaks and valleys, but we as believers are often tempted to present ourselves to our unbelieving family or friends as those who have moved beyond the ordinary cares of the world.  To the skeptic, this denial of reality and pain can appear shallow, hypocritical, and a Pollyanna approach to problems that cry out for meaningful answers.

Lord Jesus help us to embrace life as it really is,  because you really do have the answers we need, you are the only hope for the future, and you alone have the power to overcome.