Verse 4
No matter what may be
the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast,
God will take care of you.
God will take care of you,
Through every day,
O’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
There is so much to contemplate in this last verse of this song, that I will only take time here to ponder the first half of the verse. How rich are the thoughts therein.
No matter what may be the test… The test may be danger and persecution. As Jeremiah faced persecution and mocking from his own people, he cried out to the Lord for encouragement and said, “Thou art my hope in the day of evil.” (Jeremiah 17:17b)
The test may be one of financial crisis or other great need. Our pastor explained that a famine is not always a lack of food. It can be a craving that is not satisfied - a financial need, a health care need that cannot be resolved, or any situation in which there seems to be a lack of provision for a certain need. In Psalm 33, God promises to take care of His children in the famine. He may not take away their famine immediately, but He will be there with them in the famine. Psalm 33:18-22 says, “18Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 20Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. 21For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. 22Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.”
No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you. One of my friends is going through some difficult times right now. She is facing a trial of having an illness which doctors cannot diagnose and do not know how to treat. This illness causes severe pain, joint and muscle problems, and difficulty walking. Because she is allergic to almost everything, she cannot take any medications for her illness. But, another friend, who is also going through some difficult times with physical trials, shared some verses and words of encouragement to help her. The first verse she shared was I Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Temptation does not always mean a temptation to sin. It can mean a difficult situation used to prove someone, an experience of evil, a discipline or provocation, an adversity (See Strongs Concordance). No matter the temptation or trial, it has happened to someone else. Every difficult or bad thing that happens has happened to someone in the past. There is no new trial. Someone has already faced this battle, and it can be won victoriously.
God is faithful. God is faithful in the trial. He will not allow my friend, or anyone else, to be tempted above what they are able to bear. He will provide a way of escape, a haven of refuge, so that the sufferer is able to bear the trial.
The other verses this one friend shared with my other friend are II Corinthians 12:9,10. These verses say, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
No matter what may be the test, God’s grace is sufficient for it. No matter what may be the test, God’s strength is manifested through the sufferer even in his or her weakness. Perhaps you are that sufferer today. You may seem to be weak, but really you are strong because God’s strength makes perfect in your weakness. Because of this, it is possible to take pleasure in the adverse circumstances. It is not that the experience itself is pleasant, but the pleasure comes out of the fact that Christ is magnified in these sufferings. When self is magnified, suffering turns into weariness and depression. When Christ is magnified, suffering turns into joy. Many people are blessed through this joy, and this joy can bring others to salvation through Christ.
Christ makes us strong through suffering. When we go through suffering and bring glory to our Saviour, we can say with the Apostle Paul, “When I am weak, then am I strong.” I pray this study has been a blessing to you and will help encourage you on your journey today. I know it has been blessing to me.