God shoots many kinds of arrows!
(Thomas Watson, “The Lord’s Prayer“) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
“May Your will be done.” Matthew 6:10
We pray here, that we may have grace to submit to God’s will patiently, in whatever He inflicts.
Patient submission to God’s will, is a gracious frame of soul, whereby a Christian is content to be at God’s disposal, and acquiesces in His wisdom. “It is the Lord’s will, let Him do what He thinks best!” 1 Samuel 3:18
Patient submission to the will of God, lies in seeing His hand in the affliction. “Affliction does not spring from the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the earth!” Job 5:6. Affliction does not come by chance! Job eyed God in all that befell him. “The Lord gave me everything I had–and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” Job 1:21. Job looks beyond second causes, he sees God in the affliction! “The Lord has taken it away.” There can be no submission to God’s will, until there is an acknowledging of God’s hand in the affliction.
Patient submission to God’s will, lies in justifying God. God is holy and just, not only when He punishes the wicked, but when He afflicts the righteous. “Now we are being punished because of our wickedness and our great guilt. But we have actually been punished far less than we deserve.” Ezra 9:13
While we live here in this valley of tears, patient submission to God’s will is much needed. The Lord sometimes lays heavy afflictions upon us. “Your arrows have struck deep, and Your blows are crushing me!” Psalm 38:2. God sometimes lays many afflictions upon us. “He multiplies my wounds.” Job 9:17. God shoots many kinds of arrows!
God sometimes afflicts with POVERTY, which is a great affliction.
To have an estate reduced almost to nothing, is hard to flesh and blood. “The Almighty has made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty.” Ruth 1:20, 21
God sometimes afflicts with REPROACH.
Dirt may be cast upon a pearl. Just so, those names may be blotted, which are written in the Book of Life. Piety shields from Hell, but not from slander.
God sometimes afflicts with the DEATH of loved ones.
“Son of man, I am going to take away your dearest treasure. Suddenly she will die!” Ezekiel 24:16
God sometimes afflicts with INFIRMITY of body.
Sickness takes away the comfort of life. Sometimes God lets the infirmity continue long. Some diseases are chronic, and linger and hang about the body for many years. The Lord is pleased to exercise many of His precious ones with chronic infirmities.
God tries His people with various afflictions–so that they have need of patient submission to His will.
Murmuring is not consistent with submission to God’s will. Murmuring is the height of impatience, it is a kind of mutiny in the soul against God. “They began to murmur against God!” Numbers 21:5
When water is hot, then the scum boils up! When the heart is heated with anger against God, then murmuring boils up!
Murmuring springs from pride! Men think they have deserved better at God’s hand; and, when they begin to swell with pride, they spit poison!
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son.” Hebrews 12:5-6
