Strong in Suffering
Charles E. Cowman encourages listeners to find strength in suffering by trusting in God's presence and submitting to His will, and to hold onto hope in the midst of loss.
Charles E. Cowman delivers a sermon on finding strength and comfort in God during times of loneliness, afflictions, and loss. He emphasizes the importance of turning to Jesus as a constant companion and friend, seeking His comfort, strength, and provision in all circumstances. Cowman highlights the power of submission and trust in God, showcasing examples of individuals who found joy and peace even in the midst of trials and grief.
Text
"Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well"
(2 Kings 4:26).
"Be strong, my soul!
Thy loved ones go
Within the veil. God's thine, e'en so;
Be strong.
"Be strong, my soul!
Death looms in view.
Lo, here thy God! He'll bear thee through;
Be strong."
For sixty-two years and five months I had a beloved wife, and now, in my ninety-second year I am left alone. But I turn to the ever present Jesus, as I walk up and down in my room, and say, "Lord Jesus, I am alone, and yet not alone--Thou art with me, Thou art my Friend. Now, Lord, comfort me, strengthen me, give to Thy poor servant everything Thou seest he needs." And we should not be satisfied till we are brought to this, that we know the Lord Jesus Christ experimentally, habitually to be our Friend: at all times, and under all circumstances, ready to prove Himself to be our Friend. --George Mueller
Afflictions cannot injure when blended with submission.
Ice breaks many a branch, and so I see a great many persons bowed down and crushed by their afflictions. But now and then I meet one that sings in affliction, and then I thank God for my own sake as well as his. There is no such sweet singing as a song in the night. You recollect the story of the woman who, when her only child died, in rapture looking up, as with the face of an angel, said, "I give you joy, my darling." That single sentence has gone with me years and years down through my life, quickening and comforting me. --Henry Ward Beecher
"E'en for the dead I will not bind my soul to grief;
Death cannot long divide.
For is it not as though the rose that climbed my garden wall
Has blossomed on the other, side?
Death doth hide,
But not divide;
Thou art but on Christ's other side!
Thou art with Christ, and Christ with me;
In Christ united still are we."
Sermon Outline
- I. The Call to Strength in Suffering
- A. The importance of trust in God's presence
- B. The role of submission in affliction
- II. The Example of Faithful Servants
- A. George Mueller's dependence on Jesus
- B. Henry Ward Beecher's comfort in affliction
- III. The Power of Hope in Suffering
- A. Finding joy in the midst of loss
- B. The promise of reunion with loved ones
Key Quotes
“''Be strong, my soul! Thy loved ones go Within the veil. God''s thine, e''en so; Be strong.''” — Charles E. Cowman
“''Death cannot long divide. For is it not as though the rose that climbed my garden wall Has blossomed on the other, side?''” — Charles E. Cowman
“''Thou art but on Christ''s other side! Thou art with Christ, and Christ with me; In Christ united still are we.''” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- As you face suffering, remember to trust in God's presence and submit to His will.
- Dependence on Jesus is key to finding comfort in affliction.
- Hold onto hope in the midst of loss, knowing that death does not divide, but rather brings us closer to Christ and each other.