For Your Comfort and Help

The following two poems and comments were sent to me in a letter of encouragement from Mrs. Pam Khalic.

Elisabeth Elliot waited for years to marry only to have her beloved killed as a missionary. Many years later she remarried only to have her new husband die shortly there after from cancer.

A couple of poems that helped her listed below, I trust they will comfort you:

Do The Next Thing

From an old English parsonage,
Down by the sea,
There came in the twilight,
A message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend,
Deeply engraven,
Hath, as it seems to me,
Teaching from Heaven.
And on through the hours
The quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration-
DO THE NEXT THING

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment,
Let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity,
Guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows,
Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus,
DO THE NEXT THING

Do it immediately;
Do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence,
Tracing His Hand,
Who placed it before thee with
Earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence,
Safe 'neath His wing,
Leave all resultings,
DO THE NEXT THING

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
(Working or suffering)
Be thy demeanor,
In His dear presence,
The rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance
Be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness,
Praise and sing,
Then, as He beckons thee,
DO THE NEXT THING

-Author unknown

Elisabeth explained how she didn't know which way to turn and what to do. The words of this above poem came to her mind.  So she got busy and did the next thing that came her way.

Another poem:

IN ACCEPTANCE LIES PEACE

He said, "I will forget the dying faces;
The empty places,
They shall be filed again.
O voices moaning deep within me, cease,"
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in forgetting lieth peace. 

He said, "I will crowd action upon action,
The strife of faction shall stir me and sustain;
O tears that drown the fire of manhood, cease."
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in endeavor lieth peace.

He said, "I will withdraw me and be quiet,
Why meddle in life's riot?
Shut be my door to pain.
Desire, thou dost befool me, thou shalt cease."
Not in aloofness lieth peace.

He said, "I will submit; I am defeated.
God hath depleted My life of its rich gain.
O futile murmurings, why will ye not cease?"
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in submission lieth peace.

He said, "I will accept the breaking sorrow
Which God tomorrow will to His Son explain."
Then did the turmoil deep within him cease.
Not vain the word, not vain;
For in Acceptance lieth peace.

 -Amy Carmichael

Only Scripture, however, really has the answer, which in effect is the Lord saying: Trust me, trust my love, trust my way, and trust my heart; for my grace is sufficient for you. I think that this is the only real answer to why we often find ourselves in unusual circumstances, is so that we will find what so few ever find, peace and tender satisfaction in His arms. I am not saying I have arrived at this "level" for I feel so weak, but I see these things a few steps ahead and have felt them. It's kind of like once we get to the foothills of these "higher" things we are so much more trusting and content in Him. We feel like maybe He is accomplishing something is us that both allows us to be His friend and also to be prepared to help another.

These times of trusting, laboring, suffering, hurting, and standing to His glory will soon be gone forever. Our privilege of giving these things to Him and going on to His honor and glory, things beloved of Him and profitable to those around us, these days once past will be gone forever. There will be no more such opportunities.... forever. May we see these things as the privilege they are to show our love and trust for Him and serve with joy until we see Him face to face!

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Corinthians 12: 9).

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong
(2 Corinthians 12: 10).

What can I give Him, this Savior of mine?
Shall I bring riches many or jewels so fine?
Shall I give to His coffers and my goods impart?
Nay, this He did tell me: All I want is your heart.

DW

A willing servant may I be
Until my Lord be formed in me
May those who look, Christ Jesus see
Until the day He calls to me
Until I finish my earthly race
Until I see Him face to face

DW

His hand of love, will never let you go
His love and grace the path will always show
You'll think that you're alone my friend, and there's nothing you can do
But His hand of love, will always see you through

DW

He loves you my friend, though His hand seems heavy upon you
He cares about every hair upon your head
He wants you to trust Him, through this valley through which He leads you
And He wants you to know, He will never let you go

DW

Did You know?

He loves
He saves
He forgives
He knows
He cares
He encourages
He comforts
He endues
He empowers
He renews
He enables
He beckons
He strengthens
He sustains
He instructs
He directs
He leads
He provides
He equips

See if you can put a verse of Scripture with each of these.