1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

signifies nothing whether the burden be great or small. He can bearit in either case. Therefore, bring it to him, and having done so,leave it with him. You must do it; the privilege is too great to beneglected. Christ loves you and would not see you burdened thus.He commands you to do it, and if you love him you will obey.Having "come" to Christ, having "taken" his "yoke," and "learned"of him, the unqualified promise is, "you shall find rest." Now, ifyou do not find rest it will be because of some reserve; for thepromise stands unchanged. Rest is always given when theconditions are fully met. Then plead no excuse; your case is not anexceptional one. You shall have rest if you will accept it. Then doso and "go in peace."The cause of unrest among believers is not the excessive weight ofburdens, not the severity of trial, for often the fully consecrated,who enjoy the sweetest rest, are they whose material surroundingsare of the most distressing character, subjecting them to sorrowscalculated to harrow beyond expression; yet they ride onvictoriously, while others with far less reason for complaint aredisturbed much of the time. The cause lies within themselves; andconsists in a partial reception, only, of the grace which would driveforever from their lives such inconsistencies as are often deploredin penitence and sorrow. Neither victory nor rest shall ever gladdenour hearts by the simple absence of the ills of life, but ratherthrough divine strength being brought to our assistance. And thiscan only be done by the concurrence of our wills; including, andindeed, necessitating an unreserved surrender to God. Oh, if thiswork be accomplished what mighty results will follow! It will be asnatural for us to rest in God as it is for us to breathe. Soul-rest willbe ours continually, and effective labor for God the outwardexpression. As the child, timid, fearful, unwilling to venture, whenalone, becomes wonderfully brave when conscious of his father'spresence, so we, though formerly helpless, will, by the abidingpresence of our God, venture anything, everything so long as it beIN THE DEFENSE OF TRUTH and in obedience to the Father,who has promised to protect us.And what shall be able to disturb us while God's strength is still ourown? Shall it be the remembrance of weary years of trouble? Shallit be a death-bed scene? Shall it be painful memories of loved oneswho have failed, and thus mortified or grieved us? I tell you it willnot be found in these things to molest the repose abiding in ourhearts. While the surface may sometimes show agitation, thepeaceful currents of the soul will move on toward the boundlessocean --God himself, whence came this wondrous grace; then thetide of his love will come, overwhelming the little disappointmentsof an hour, drowning our sorrows, washing away the stains ourtears had left, and thrilling with a heavenly joy our souls, as,standing in bewilderment, we demand, with the astonished Paul,whose words were unequal to his rapture, "Who shall separate usfrom the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy