The Refuge in Sorrow
In times of sorrow, we can find refuge and comfort in prayer, where we can surrender our will and accept God's will, leading to peace and strength.
J.R. Miller emphasizes the importance of seeking refuge in prayer during times of sorrow, illustrating how Jesus, in His own agony, turned to prayer as His source of strength. He encourages believers to plead with God for relief from their troubles while also submitting to His will, recognizing that true prayer involves surrendering to God's greater plan. Miller reassures that while prayers may not always change our circumstances, they can transform our hearts, enabling us to endure and find peace amidst suffering. Ultimately, he affirms that God answers prayers, either by granting our requests or by providing us with the strength to accept His will.
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One of life's great questions, is where to go in sorrow. For there are none to whom sorrow does not come at some time. The Master, whose footprints are on all life's paths, shows us the way to the refuge in the time of trouble. He found it in prayer. "Being in agony--He prayed."
We may listen at the gate of the Garden--and learn how our Master prayed. He was facing a great sorrow and He pleaded with His Father that it might not come to Him. We have a right, therefore, to ask in prayer, that the trouble which seems imminent may pass, or that we may be relieved of the bitter anguish we are enduring. God will never blame us for such pleading.
There was another element, however, in our Lord's praying. In His most intense pleading for the passing of His sorrow, He still referred all to His Father. "Nevertheless, not as I will--but as You will." There is no true prayer which is not modeled after this pattern. We do not know what is best. We do not know what is in the sorrow for us, for others, or for the divine glory--nor what would be lost if we failed to endure it. We must leave all with our Father, saying, "As You will."
Then the Master found the comfort which He sought. His prayer was answered. The cup did not pass.
The bitterness was not lessened in the smallest degree. So far as we know, not a single cruel element in the terrible experience was eliminated or even mitigated because of the prayer in the Garden. The answer came in another way. The Holy Sufferer was strengthened to accept the sorrow and endure it. And was not that an answer? Was it not a better answer than if the dreadful anguish had been diminished? The pleading grew less intense as He went back again and again into the depths of the Garden, and at the end the struggle was over, victory had been won, and He was at peace.
Prayer is always answered. It is answered either directly in the giving to us of what we ask--or in ourselves, in enabling us to accept the will of God and rejoice. We shall never seek this refuge in vain. We shall always find comfort there, and peace, and always God's angel will meet us to strengthen us.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Question of Where to Go in Sorrow
- A. The universality of sorrow
- B. The need for a refuge
- II. The Master's Example
- A. Prayer as a refuge
- B. The importance of surrender
- III. The Pattern of True Prayer
- A. Leaving all with God
- B. Accepting God's will
- IV. The Answer to Prayer
- A. Direct answers
- B. Indirect answers through strength and peace
Key Quotes
“Being in agony--He prayed.” — J.R. Miller
“Nevertheless, not as I will--but as You will.” — J.R. Miller
“Prayer is always answered.” — J.R. Miller
Application Points
- We can find comfort and peace in prayer, even in the midst of troubles.
- Surrendering our will to God's will is essential in prayer, as it brings us peace and strength.
- Prayer is always answered, either directly or indirectly, through the strengthening of our faith and the peace that comes from accepting God's will.