THE REFUGE IN SORROW by J. R. Miller Where to go in sorrow
is one of life's great questions, for there are none to whom sorrow
does not come at some time. The Master, whose footprints
are on all life's paths, shows us the way to the refuge in the
time of trouble. He found it in prayer. Being
in agony, he prayed. We may listen at the gate of
the Garden of Gethsemane, and learn how our Master prayed. He was facing a great sorrow,
and he pleaded with his father that it might not come to him.
We have a right, therefore, to ask in prayer that the trouble
which seems imminent may pass, or that we may be relieved of
the bitter anguish we are enduring. God will never blame us for such
pleading. There was another element, however,
in our Lord's praying. In His most intense pleading
for the passing of His sorrow, He still referred all to His
Father. Nevertheless, not as I will,
but as you will. There is no true prayer which
is not modelled after this pattern. We do not know what is best. We do not know what is in the
sorrow for us, for others, or for the divine glory, nor what
would be lost if we failed to endure it. We must leave all
with our Father, saying, Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. Then the master found the comfort
which he sought. His prayer was answered. The
cup of suffering did not pass. The bitterness was not lessened
in the smallest degree. So far as we know, not a single
cruel element in the terrible experience was eliminated, or
even mitigated, because of the prayer in the garden. The answer
came in another way. The holy sufferer was strengthened
to accept the sorrow and endure it. And was not that an answer? Was it not a better answer than
if the dreadful anguish had been diminished? The pleading grew
less intense as he went back again and again into the depths
of the garden, and at the end the struggle was over. victory
had been won, and he was at peace. Prayer is always answered. It is answered either directly,
in the giving to us of what we ask, or in ourselves, in enabling
us to accept the will of God and rejoice. We shall never seek
this refuge of prayer in vain. We shall always find comfort
there. and peace, and always God will
meet us to strengthen us.