Trust in God's Will
The sermon emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's will, even in the midst of trials, and encourages the listener to surrender to His management.
John Newton, in a heartfelt letter to a friend, expresses the deep connection and friendship he feels despite physical distance, emphasizing the constant presence of his friend in his thoughts. He reflects on the love of the Lord during trials, highlighting the wisdom and purpose behind every affliction, ultimately leading to a greater trust in God's plan. Newton seeks his friend's prayers to deepen his own trust in God, desiring complete surrender to the divine will above all else.
Text
April 23, 1779.
My dear Friend,
May I not style myself a friend, when I remember you after the interval of several weeks since I saw you, and through a distance of three-score miles? But the truth is, you have been neither absent nor distant from my heart a day. Your idea has travelled with me; you are a kind of familiar, very often before the eye of my mind. This, I hope, may be admitted as a proof of friendship.
I know the Lord loves you, and you know it likewise: every affliction affords you a fresh proof of it. How wise his management in our trials! How wisely adjusted in season, weight, continuance, to answer his gracious purposes in sending them! How unspeakably better to be at his disposal than at your own! So you say; so you think; so you find. You trust in him, and shall not be disappointed. Help me with your prayers, that I may trust him too, and be at length enabled to say without reserve, "What thou wilt, when thou wilt, how thou wilt." I had rather speak these three sentences from my heart, in my mother-tongue, than be master of all the languages in Europe.
I am yours, &c.
Sermon Outline
- Introduction
- The wisdom of God's management in trials
- The importance of trusting in God's will
- Conclusion
- The speaker's desire to trust in God's will
- Benefits of trusting in God
- Purpose of trials
Key Quotes
“How wisely adjusted in season, weight, continuance, to answer his gracious purposes in sending them!” — John Newton
“You trust in him, and shall not be disappointed.” — John Newton
“What thou wilt, when thou wilt, how thou wilt.” — John Newton
Application Points
- Trust in God's management of your trials, even when you don't understand the purpose or timing.
- Surrender to God's will by saying, 'What thou wilt, when thou wilt, how thou wilt.'
- Seek the help of prayer and the support of friends and family to encourage and strengthen your trust in God's will.