Content in His Will
“For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28)
A farmer and a king unite to teach us the secret of contentment in God’s will. The farmer who had been sick was being visited by his pastor. “How are you getting along?” asked the minister. “Just as I would have it, pastor,” he answered. “But how must I understand this?” asked the preacher. “Do you wish sickness for yourself?” “No,” said the farmer, “but what God wills that I also will. If it is God’s will that I should be sick now; then it is my will, too. If it be His will that I die now, then it is my will, too. Should He will that I get well again, then I will it, too. Everything is placed in His hands, let Him deal with me as it pleases Him.”
The King, Christian III, of Denmark, when exceedingly sick, and without the medicine to cure him, laughingly asked: “Where are we now, who are accustomed to being called the great ones, when we are so utterly cast down by a fever? On account of what are we so proud? Even when we are adorned with all manner of human righteousness, we still bring nothing to God but a heap of sin. Therefore let us seek refuge in the Son of God, and accept His righteousness by true faith. This will lead us to eternal life.”
It is this double confession of our nothingness combined with a humble confession and committal of ourselves to God through Christ that brings us any contentment.
A farmer and a king unite to teach us the secret of contentment in God’s will. The farmer who had been sick was being visited by his pastor. “How are you getting along?” asked the minister. “Just as I would have it, pastor,” he answered. “But how must I understand this?” asked the preacher. “Do you wish sickness for yourself?” “No,” said the farmer, “but what God wills that I also will. If it is God’s will that I should be sick now; then it is my will, too. If it be His will that I die now, then it is my will, too. Should He will that I get well again, then I will it, too. Everything is placed in His hands, let Him deal with me as it pleases Him.”
The King, Christian III, of Denmark, when exceedingly sick, and without the medicine to cure him, laughingly asked: “Where are we now, who are accustomed to being called the great ones, when we are so utterly cast down by a fever? On account of what are we so proud? Even when we are adorned with all manner of human righteousness, we still bring nothing to God but a heap of sin. Therefore let us seek refuge in the Son of God, and accept His righteousness by true faith. This will lead us to eternal life.”
It is this double confession of our nothingness combined with a humble confession and committal of ourselves to God through Christ that brings us any contentment.