ALL FOR THE BEST.
WE can never be sure what is best for us, but we can be sure that God knows; he cares for us, and we must learn to trust to him and be patient and cheerful. How often do we hear people say, "Oh! I am so sorry it rains, or "I wish it were not so hot!"
"What a pity we cannot do this or that!" or "I am so sorry this or that has happened." Now if we loved and trusted God as we ought, we should never say these things, for we should know that whatever God sends must be the very best thing that could possibly happen to us. Do you remember what the shepherd of Salisbury Plain said when a traveler asked what sort of weather he thought it would be? He answered, "It will be such weather as pleases me." "How do you know that?" said the traveler. "Because," said the shepherd, "it will be such weather as pleases God, and whatever weather pleases God pleases me." God knows better than we do what is best. Why, if we had our way, we might perhaps have so much cold weather in summer that in autumn we should have no fruit or grain to eat, or we might have rainy days so seldom that we should have a drought or a famine. A farmer who had learned to trust in God and be happy about everything, one day had a fine crop of hay cut and ready to bring in. Just then a violent shower came up which wet and injured his hay. His wife and children thought he would certainly fret about the rain this time.
But no. He came into the house all wet from the hay-field, with a bright smile on his face, saying," Ah! Jemmy, my boy, this is a fine rain for the turnips.
"I once knew a little girl who, when any little trouble came, and her sister said to her, "Oh! Lizzie, it is too bad, I am so sorry," would reply: "No, not too bad, or it would not be so. So she would cheerfully look on the bright side. As she grew older, she had much sickness and trial, but I never saw her out of patience or out of temper. She was always so cheerful and kind that no one could help loving her.
Ah! How much unhappiness we might save ourselves if we could only learn to trust in God, and to take cheerfully and thankfully just what he sends, believing that he loves us, and that "all things work together for good to those who love God." We cannot tell what is best, but God can; and if we trust to his love and guidance, we shall be sure to be led in the right way.
"I know not the way I am going
But w'ell do I know my Guide,
With a childlike trust I give my hand
To the Mighty Friend by my side.
The only thing that I say to him
As he takes it, is, 'Hold it fast,
Suffer me not to lose my way,
And bring me home at last.'
"As when some helpless wanderer,
Alone in an unknown land,
Tells the guide his destined place of rest,
And leaves all else in his hand.
'T is home, 't is home, that we wish to reach;
He that guides us may choose the way;
Little we seek which road we take,
If nearer home each day."
Annie Holyoke.