The Storms and Calms of Life
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulations. But take heart; I have overcome the world.—John 16:33
Here is the life of a Christian in this world. (1) He is in great danger if he be not troubled at all. (2) When he is troubled, he is in danger to be over-troubled. (3) When he has brought his soul in tune again, he is subject to new troubles.
Between this ebbing and flowing there is very little quiet. Now because this cannot be done without a great measure of God's Spirit, our help is to make use of that promise of giving ‘the Holy Spirit to them that ask it' (Luke 11:13). It is the Spirit who will teach the heart how long, and how much to grieve; and when, and how long, and how much to rejoice. As the Spirit moved upon the waters before the creation, so he must move upon the waters of our souls. For we do not have command of our own hearts. Every man without the Spirit is carried away with his flesh and passions, upon which the devil rides, and carries him wherever the devil wishes. But a godly man is not a slave to his carnal affections. The soul bred from heaven desires to be, like heaven, above all storms, uniform, constant; not as things under the sun, which are always in change, constant only in being inconstant. Affections are the wind of the soul. The soul is carried as it should be, when it is neither so becalmed that it moves not when it should, nor yet tossed with tempests to move disorderly. Our affections must not rise to become unruly passions, for then as a river that overflows its banks, they carry much slime and soil with them. Though affections be the wind of the soul, yet unruly passions are the storms of the soul, and will overturn all if they be not suppressed. Even the best, if they do not steer their hearts aright, are in danger of sudden gusts. A Christian must neither be a dead sea, nor a raging sea. Instead, he does as David did and labours to bring into captivity the first motions of sin in his heart (Psa. 51:1, 2).
Between this ebbing and flowing there is very little quiet. Now because this cannot be done without a great measure of God's Spirit, our help is to make use of that promise of giving ‘the Holy Spirit to them that ask it' (Luke 11:13). It is the Spirit who will teach the heart how long, and how much to grieve; and when, and how long, and how much to rejoice. As the Spirit moved upon the waters before the creation, so he must move upon the waters of our souls. For we do not have command of our own hearts. Every man without the Spirit is carried away with his flesh and passions, upon which the devil rides, and carries him wherever the devil wishes. But a godly man is not a slave to his carnal affections. The soul bred from heaven desires to be, like heaven, above all storms, uniform, constant; not as things under the sun, which are always in change, constant only in being inconstant. Affections are the wind of the soul. The soul is carried as it should be, when it is neither so becalmed that it moves not when it should, nor yet tossed with tempests to move disorderly. Our affections must not rise to become unruly passions, for then as a river that overflows its banks, they carry much slime and soil with them. Though affections be the wind of the soul, yet unruly passions are the storms of the soul, and will overturn all if they be not suppressed. Even the best, if they do not steer their hearts aright, are in danger of sudden gusts. A Christian must neither be a dead sea, nor a raging sea. Instead, he does as David did and labours to bring into captivity the first motions of sin in his heart (Psa. 51:1, 2).
Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Soul's Conflict with Itself, Works, vol. 1, pp. 159-60
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
The Soul's Conflict with Itself, Works, vol. 1, pp. 159-60
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
Categories
Recent
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 22
December 22nd, 2024
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 21
December 21st, 2024
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 20
December 20th, 2024
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 19
December 19th, 2024
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 18
December 18th, 2024
2024
January
One Thing (1)One Thing (2)Our Thoughts and Desires Reveal Who We AreThe Christian's Desire for God's House (1)The Christian's Desire for God's House (2)What the Soul Was Made ForGod Makes the Heart TenderMaintaining a Tender Heart (1)Maintaining a Tender Heart (2)Maintaining a Tender Heart (3)Maintaining a Tender Heart (4)Test to See if Your Heart is TenderHow to Recover a Tender HeartBenefits of a Tender HeartKings Must Humble Themselves Before GodHow to Humble Ourselves (1)How to Humble Ourselves (2)How to Humble Ourselves (3)Proneness to PrideHumilityTrue versus False Humility (1)True versus False Humility (2)True versus False Humility (3)Both Outward Devotion and Inward AffectionWeeping for the ChurchWeeping and Rejoicing Mixed (1)Weeping and Rejoicing Mixed (2)God Hears Our Prayers--His PartWhen It Seems God Doesn't HearThe Privilege of PrayerGod Hears Our Prayers--Our Part
February
Death Is a Gathering (1)Death Is a Gathering (2)The Righteous Preserve their NationGod's Righteous JudgmentThe Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (1)The Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (2)Abundance Is Not an Accurate Sign of God's LoveRun to GodChristian UnityChrist In Us (1)Christ In Us (2)Christ In Us (3)Christ In Us (4)Christ In Us (5)Christ the Servant: the MediatorThe Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (1)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (2)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (3)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (4)God Knows Our FrameLittle at First (1)Little at First (2)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (1)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (2)Avoiding Unnecessary RulesThe Weaker BrotherExtend Grace to One AnotherThe Covenant of GraceThe Light of God Compared to Fire (1)
March
The Light of God Compared to Fire (2)The Light of God Compared to Fire (3)Temptation (1)Temptation (2)The Source of DiscouragementsResponding to Christ's KindnessVictory in Spiritual BattlesHis Power Not OursCourage Until the End (1)Courage Until the End (2)Our Hearts—God's TempleSin in God's PeopleSigns of God's Impending Judgment (1)Signs of God's Impending Judgment (2)Signs of God's Impending Judgment (3)Preventing God's Judgment on Our Nation (1)Preventing God's Judgment on Our Nation (2)The Ugliness of Sin (1)The Ugliness of Sin (2)Far but NearChrist's Dying Words of ComfortThe Wrong of Excessive SorrowSteps to Bring Comfort to our Hearts (1)Steps to Bring Comfort to our Hearts (2)Steps to Bring Comfort to our Hearts (3)When We Feel Our Faith Is Weak (1)When We Feel Our Faith Is Weak (2)When We Feel Our Faith Is Weak (3)Christ and the Holy SpiritChrist Is the Heart and Power of the Scriptures (1)Christ Is the Heart and Power of the Scriptures (2)
No Comments