I once saw the following in a paper:
“Trouble has a way of coming, Big end first; And when seen at its appearing, Looks its very worst.”
Many people are always seeing trouble. They are “troubled on every side.” Whenever they talk — it is generally to tell of their trouble. There are others who, though they have troubles, seem able to put them in the background, and say but little about them. They talk of victory, of the Lord’s help, and of the joys of salvation. We all have our troubles — for man is “of few days, and full of trouble.” But the greatest troubles any of us have are the ones that never come. How truly the poet has spoken in the above-quoted lines. It is just as he says, trouble comes big end first and fills us with forebodings.
How easy it is to worry over looming troubles. “Oh, how shall I meet them?” and we fear and tremble before them. Nearly all the joy is excluded from some people’s lives, by the shadow of coming troubles. Many of them, and sometimes the most threatening ones, disappear before we reach them. Others, when they do come, are not nearly so bad as they appeared to be. We always find a way through them. Many times, things turn out better than we think they are going to.
A young man and I once had an experience that illustrates how trouble works. We were going to a meeting at night and there was a heavy fog. Suddenly there loomed before us what appeared to be a great giant. He came striding toward us through the fog with legs twenty feet long and body towering up out of sight. It was an awe-inspiring spectacle and at first sight startled us. There it was, coming right toward us in a most threatening manner. If we had been frightened and run away, we might have had a great story to tell; but we continued walking on toward it, when suddenly we came face to face with one of our neighbors. He was only an ordinary-sized man, and there was nothing terrible about him; but he was carrying a lantern, which swung partly behind him, and as he walked threw that gigantic shadow forward into the fog. The giant that we saw was not the real man; it was only his shadow.
That is just how trouble comes. Our imagination pictures it as something terrible and we worry only to find the real trouble is only a fraction of what we supposed it would be.
When Alexander the Great was a youth a horse dealer brought a beautiful war horse to King Philip II, Alexander’s father. The horse, named Bucephalus, was large, powerful, and striking but wild and uncontrollable, throwing off anyone who tried to ride it. Alexander made up his mind to conquer the animal. When he tried it, he discovered the horse was afraid of its shadow; so, he turned its head toward the sun and soon had it tamed. Bucephalus remained Alexander’s faithful companion throughout his conquests and battles. After Bucephalus’ death, Alexander founded a city in his honor, Bucephala (likely near modern-day Pakistan).
Let us learn a lesson that when we are afraid of the shadows of trouble, let us turn our faces toward the Sun of Righteousness, and leave the shadows behind us. The Scripture says, “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:9-10).
David said, “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.” (Psalm 27:3, 5-6).
Troubled souls, instead of looking at your troubles, look to Jesus. The more you look at your troubles, the worse they will appear, the more you will be troubled, and the less you will see of God and his help. God loves you and he sees the trouble. Instead of worrying — try trusting. Cultivate the habit of casting your care upon Jesus. Face your troubles boldly. Assert in your soul, “The Lord will make a way. The Lord will help me through.” Continue repeating it until it becomes real to you — and you will be surprised how simple trust will take you through to victory.
Charles Wesley Naylor is considered one of the most prolific and inspiring songwriters of the Church of God. He was bedridden for much of his adult life but wrote eight books, a newspaper column and more than 150 songs. Many of his writings are in the public domain.
