William Cowper, though a Christian, had sunk to the depths of despair.
One foggy night he called for a horse drawn carriage and asked to be taken to London Bridge. He was so overcome by depression that he intended to commit suicide. After two hours of driving through the fog, Cowper’s coachman reluctantly confessed that he was lost. Disgusted by the delay, Cowper left the carriage and decided to find the bridge on foot. After walking a short distance, he discovered that he was on his own doorstep. The carriage had been going round in circles.
Recognising the restraining hand of God and convicted by the Spirit, Cowper realised that the way out of his troubles was to look to God, not jump in the river. With gratitude he sat down and wrote these reassuring words: “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm.”
So many people are in dark places at the moment. Loss of family and friends, loss of income and imminent loss of their homes, but even in the darkest of places God’s eye is always on His children.
These words from Psalm 33 v 19-22 :
He’s ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together. We’re depending on God; he’s everything we need. What’s more, our hearts brim with joy since we’ve taken for our own his holy name. Love us, God, with all you’ve got—that’s what we’re depending on.
can reassure us that our hope is in God. Sometimes if we look in the dark place under a tree we can see bulbs breaking through the surface bringing new life.
Heavenly Father, help us to concentrate on the new shoots and not on the darkness.
