3
3
But the dark wood may be something quite different. It may be an exposure to a sudden temptation, perhaps connected in some subtle way with the very work itself—the work across which we have written “Holiness unto the Lord.” If this be so, the tempter is sure to choose a weary hour, perhaps a discouraged hour. And he flings himself upon us with a violence unimagined before. But all the great staining temptations, to selfishness, ambition, and other strong sins that violently affront the soul, appear first in the region of the mind, and can be fought and conquered there. We have been given the power to close the door of the mind. We can lose this power through disuse or increase it by use, by the daily discipline of the inner man in things which seem small and by reliance upon the word of the Spirit of Truth. “It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” It is as though He said, Learn to live in your will, not in your feelings. Will to banish that evil thing, that thought, that imagination, and I will then will in you to perform that which you most desire. Show that hateful visitor the door and I will shut and bar it upon him; he will never reach as far as the citadel of your being; your spirit shall not be defiled.
Speaking with the utmost simplicity, I would say this means, “Do not fight the thing in detail: turn from it. Do not look at it at all, or at yourself, but only at your Lord.” Satan was vanquished by Christ on the cross; he need never conquer us. There is full provision made for victory over all the power of the enemy. Take your victory then, and praise your Prince of Glory. Sing—“singing to yourselves” is a word of divine wisdom. Read—drive your thoughts into a new channel till they run there of themselves. Work—go and help lame dogs over stiles. Resolutely do something for someone else; and as you do this in dependence on Him who is the rightful Master of your house, the unwelcome visitor will vanish. The attempt of the evil one to destroy you will react upon himself, perhaps by weakening his grip on another soul, perhaps by furnishing you with the key to the confidence of one who needs your help—for all the deeper experiences of sorrow and comfort, temptation and victory, sooner or later turn into keys. You will not only conquer, you will be more than conqueror through Him who loved you.
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did not refuse dark woods: It became Him in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted. “All Christ’s life was a cross and a martyrdom; and seekest thou to thyself rest and joy?” No, Lord, no. We will not seek these perishable treasures. I and the children whom Thou hast given me would come together to Thy Country, not one son or daughter missing. Therefore we pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood, lest they flinch from the conditions of the way.
If our hearts be set on bringing many sons unto glory we cannot refuse what our Lord accepted; he who has not suffered being tempted cannot succor them that are tempted. But here the enemy comes at times with a knife in his hand and he thrusts it into the heart. Our holy Lord was never swept off His feet by some tremendous wave. To fall may cause another to fall. How can One who never fell, and so never caused anyone to fall, help a soul that is tempted to despair because of having hindered another? Our Saviour never suffered being tempted there. How can He help me there?
In searching for an answer to that question I have been led again to Calvary. The answer is found at the cross, and only at the cross. If one who loves can, by virtue of human love, plunge in spirit into gulfs unknown in actual experience to succor one beloved (and we know that love can do this), how much more can the divine? “He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin”: “Him who knew no sin He made to be sin on our behalf.” Who has sounded the depths of that gulf? “And there was darkness over the whole land.” I here is no darkness where He cannot find us: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.