Waiting for Feelings

A SHORT time ago, whilst walking along a country road, I came to a spot where different ways met, when a young man offered to direct me to my destination. “Probably the Lord has a word for this young man," I thought; so, after a little time of silence, I asked him if he had any interest in the things of the Bible. "Oh, yes, sir; and very much interest, too," he replied. But as he did not seem able to express clearly what he meant, I said, "Have you ever felt the burden of your sins, and have you ever been troubled about them?”
“Indeed I have," he answered, "and that very often, too, and one thing I know to be certain-I am altogether what I ought not to be, and I do not get the thing I so much desire.”
"You mean peace with God?”
“Yes," said he.
“You say you know yourself to be what you ought not to be. Now, the question is, do you believe yourself to be what God says you are—a lost sinner, and by nature away from God?”
“I believe that," my young friend said, in a way that assured me he spoke from his heart.
“Then it is for you to believe that God in His infinite love has provided a Saviour for you. Look away by faith, dear friend, unto Him, and rest satisfied that God needs nothing more than what His own Son has done. He has taken your place on the cross, and God has dealt with Him according to all that His justice demanded on account of your sins.”
“That seems to be all very plain," said the young man;" but, although I have faith in what you say, I remain in the same place, and do not feel I have the proper thing. Sometimes I persuade myself that I have it; then again I find myself as one having nothing at all.”
“Ah, my dear friend, I am afraid you are in the same dilemma as are thousands this day: you are putting first what should come last-feelings before faith. You are looking for a change of things to be wrought in you, or for a realization of some particular experience, and unless what you look for remain with you, you persuade yourself that you have not ' the proper thing'! You will never get settled peace with God in this fashion. Peace comes to us altogether in a different way from that, and unless you believe God's way you will always remain in doubt and fear. The one and only source from which we obtain the knowledge of peace with God is His word. You believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has died for you—a poor, lost sinner. Why? Because the word of God says so! It remains for you joyfully to receive those truths relating to the blessed results of Christ's death which the word of God opens out to us. The word of God declares of Jesus: ' He was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' (Rom. 4:25; 5:1.) It is on the authority of God's word alone that we dare say we have real peace of soul; everything depends upon the way you treat God's holy word. I do not wish you to think me severe—God forbid—but I am constrained to tell you that God holds you responsible to believe what He says.”
“I think God will yet save me before I die.”
“I do not doubt it, dear friend; but let me tell you, if after God has spoken to you, you continue to refuse the message of peace which He sends you, God is displeased with your conduct.”
“I only wish I had it. I do not deny the blame is to be attributed to my own thoughts," my young friend continued; "but what would you have me to do?—I feel I am altogether wrong.”
I desired to bring this young man face to face with the Lord Jesus, so I said, "Take the Lord's own words as He gives them, and may His precious words, ' Peace be unto you,' enable you to rejoice in the knowledge of His wondrous love.”
Here we parted. No doubt the Spirit of God had begun the good work in that young man's soul, but he lacked faith in what God says, and so was living a life of distrust. Is your case, dear reader, similar to that of this young man? Thousands are kept in doubt and fear simply by yielding to Satan's cunning devices. Depend upon it, if God has sent the word of peace to you, and you doubt the truthfulness of that word, the blame is on yourself.
Oh, think of this love, my reader, and think at what a cost the blessed Lord Jesus has obtained salvation for us. May we say with adoring hearts, "Praise the Lord: He is good, for His mercy endureth forever."
W. M.