Others may, you cannot

(George Watson, 1845-1924)

(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

John 21:21-22, "When Peter saw him, he asked: Lord, what about him?
Jesus answered: If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!"

If God has called you to be truly like Jesus, then He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will put on you such demands of obedience, that you will not be allowed to follow other Christians. In many ways, He seems to let other believers do things, which He will not let you do.

Others who seem to be very faithful and useful, may push themselves up to be admired--but you cannot. If you attempt it--you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord, as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag about themselves, their work, and their successes--but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. If you begin to do so, He will lead you into some deep humiliation that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or in having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries--but God may only supply you on a day-to-day basis, because He wants you to have something far better than gold--a helpless dependence on Him and His unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, while keeping you hidden in obscurity--because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit in you, which can only be produced in the shade.

God may let others be great, but He will keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him and get the credit, but He will make you work and toil without others knowing how much you are doing. Then, to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done. This is to teach you the message of the Cross and humility.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, and with a jealous love rebuke you for careless words and feelings, or for wasting your time--which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as He pleases with His own redeemed people, and that He may not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason, in His dealings with you.

If you absolutely give yourself to be His slave, then He will wrap you up in His jealous love, and let other Christian people say and do many things which you cannot.

However, know this great secret of the Kingdom: When you are so completely possessed with the living God, that you are in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over His personal, private, jealous guardianship and management over your life--then you will have touched the outskirts of glory and embraced God's highest calling.

 

You may want to read John Newton's very insightful and helpful letter, "Blemishes in Christian character".