The Christian's Secret to a Happy Life 12 - Is God everything?
By Hannah Whitall Smith
One of the greatest obstacles to an unwavering experience in the interior life is the difficulty of seeing God in everything. People say, "I can easily submit to things that come from God. But I cannot submit to man which is the source of most of my trials." Or they say, "It is all well enough to talk of trusting. But when I commit a matter to God, man is sure to come in and cause problems. While I have no difficulty in trusting God, I do see serious difficulties in the way of trusting men."
This is no imaginary trouble and is of vital importance. If we cannot deal with this trouble, it really does make the life of faith an impossible and impractical theory. For nearly everything in life comes to us through human means, and most of our trials are the result of somebody's failure, or ignorance, or carelessness, or sin. We know God cannot be the author of these things. Yet, unless He is the agent in the matter, how can we tell Him that we desire His will regarding it?
Besides, what good is there in trusting our affairs to God if man is to be allowed to come in and disarrange them. How is it possible to live by faith, if human agencies, in whom it would be wrong and foolish to trust are to have a prevailing influence in molding our lives?
Moreover, things which have God's hand in them always have a sweetness that consoles while it wounds. On the other hand, trials inflicted by man are full of nothing but bitterness.
Receive All As From God
We must see God in everything, and receive everything directly from His hands. We must be brought to this before we can know an abiding experience of entire abandonment and perfect trust. Our abandonment must be to God, not to man. Our trust must be in Him, or we shall fail at the first trial.
Study these scriptures which tell us that we are not to worry about anything because the Father cares for us.
"One (sparrow). . .shall not fall on the ground without your Father...the very hairs of (our) head are all numbered" (Matthew 10:29,30).
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Romans 12:19).
"We may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what men shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:6).
" If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1).
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee" (Isaiah 43:2).
"He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings and setteth up kings" (Daniel 2:11).
He bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: He maketh the devices of the people of none effect" (Psalm 33:10).
"Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding'' (Psalm 40:28).
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore (we will not) fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof" (Psalm 46:1,2,3).
"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
