(1) Faith is trust. — And trust which is faith is self-distrust. " I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit." Eivers do not run on the mountain tops, but down in the valleys. So the heart that is lifted up and self-complacent has no dew of His blessing resting upon it, but has the curse of Gilboa adhering to its barrenness ; but the low lands, the humble and the lowly hearts, are they in which the waters that go softly, scoop their course, and diffuse their blessings. Faith is self-distrust. Self-distrust brings the Christ.
^ My own idea of trust is as illimitable as the word indicates. Whatever happens, to believe it is a part of the Divine plan.
» John G. FaUm, i. 191.
156 CHRIST IN THE HEART
However unpleasant, however painful, however disagreeable may be that happening or circumstance, to determine upon finding its good meaning, and to turn it to the soul's account and make it a means of character building. Trust does not, in my interpretation of the word, include placid acceptance of conditions or events. It means using these things as stepping-stones to deliverance. When our environment is not to our liking, when we are annoyed and hurt by events, the first thing to do is to discover if we ourselves have not been the cause of these troubles. If we realize on care- ful analysis that we are the cause, then trust the Divine forces to show us the way out. If we find we are blameless, and the troubles come through what we call Fate, then again trust in Divine power, within ourselves and beyond ourselves, to deliver us. Meanwhile let us go upon our way doing the duty which lies nearest, with absolute trust in the heart that we are treading the path to power.i
(2) Faith is desire. — Never in the history of the world has it been or can it be that a longing towards Him shall be a longing thrown back unsatisfied upon itself. We have but to trust, and we possess. We open the door for the entrance of Christ by the simple act of faith, and, blessed be His name! He can squeeze Himself through a very little chink, and He does not require that the gates should be flung wide open in order that, with some of His blessings. He may come in.
*\\ It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them. How can we ever be satisfied without them until our feelings are deadened ? ^
^ The soul possesses a native yearning for intercourse and companionship, which takes it to God as naturally as the home instinct of the pigeon takes it to the place of its birth. There is in every normal soul a spontaneous outreach, a free play of spirit which gives it onward yearning of unstilled desire. It is no mere subjective instinct. If it met no response it would soon be weeded out of the race. It would shrivel like the functionless organ. We could not long continue to pray in faith, if we lost the assurance that there is a Person who cares, and who actually corresponds with us. In fact, the very desire to pray is in itself prophetic of a Heavenly Friend — a Divine Companion.^
^ Ella Wheeler Wilcox, New Thought Common Sense, 233.
' George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss. * Eufus Jones.
EPHESIANS III. 17 157
With Thee a moment ! Then what dreams have play !
Traditions of eternal toil arise, Search for the high, austere, and lonely way
The Spirit moves in through Eternities.
Ah, in the soul what memories arise!
And with what yearning inexpressible,
Kising from long forgetfulness, I turn To Thee invisible, unrumoured, still :
White for Thy whiteness all desires burn.
Ah, with what longing once again I turn.^
4. What do we gain by the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith ?
(1) Constancy. — We are ready to say again and again : " Oh, that I were always what I am sometimes ! " Is not one of the greatest needs of our spiritual life constancy — strength to enable us to continue ? — " Patient continuance in well doing." There is no such token of strength or proof of power as being able to continue. That quality is lacking in us to-day. How is the defect to be met? Christ is "the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever " ; and if He dwell in us He will impart to us that element of stability, He will make us strong by His indwelling presence that never fails.
^ When Mr. Browning wrote to Miss Haworth, in 1861, he had said : " I shall still grow, I hope ; but my root is taken, and remains." He was then alluding to a special offshoot of feeling and association, on the permanence of which it is not now necessary to dwell ; but it is certain that he continued growing up to a late age, and that the development was limited only by those general roots, those fixed conditions of his being, which had predetermined its form. This progressive intellectual vitality is amply represented in his works ; it also reveals itself in his letters in so far as they remain and are accessible. I only refer to it to give emphasis to a contrasted or corresponding characteristic : his aversion to every thought of change. I have spoken of his constancy to all degrees of friendship and love. What he loved once he loved always, from the dearest man or woman to whom his allegiance had been given to the humblest piece of furniture which had served him.^