Entry #46: Strength During Sorrow

With the recent passing away of my brother-in-law’s mother and also the brother of a former coworker, after a bit of sorrow, I felt strength in my soul while pondering scripture and reading these two simple poems. Hope these will be a strength to someone. One is by an unknown author. The second is by a man named Charles William Everest:
 
TRUST THE LORD
(Author Unknown)

Until I learned to trust the Lord,
I never learned to pray;
And never learned to fully trust,
Till sorrow came my way.

Until I felt my weakness,
HIS STRENGTH I never knew;
Nor dreamed til I was stricken,
That HE could see me through.

He who drinks deepest sorrow,
Drinks deepest too of grace;
God sends the storm so HE, HIMSELF
Can be our resting place.

His heart who seeks our deepest good,
Knows well when things annoy;
We would not yearn for heaven,
If earth held only joy! 
_____________________________

 Take up Thy Cross

Take up thy cross, the Saviour said,
If thou wouldst My disciple be;
Deny thyself, the world forsake,
And humbly follow after Me.

Take up thy cross; let not its weight
Fill thy weak soul with vain alarm;
His strength shall bear thy spirit up,
And brace thy heart, and nerve thine arm.

Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame,
Nor let thy foolish pride rebel;
The Lord for thee the cross endured
To save thy soul from death and hell.

Take up thy cross, then, in His strength,
And calmly every danger brave;
‘Twill guide thee to a better home,
And lead to victory o’er the grave.

Take up thy cross, and follow Christ,
Nor think till death to lay it down;
For only he who bears the cross
May hope to wear the glorious crown.
               —Charles William Everest

I’m normally an upbeat person because I believe overall in the “spiritual remedy”—A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones (Proverbs 22:17), but I think also that to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). At the moment, for me, in light of the recent passings, this verse is appropriate:

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better (Ecclesiastes 7:3). I believe, though, I’ll be smiling again before too long.