“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” I Peter 1:6-7
This world is full of evil and daily we see this manifested just by opening up our televisions and seeing the news. We see people hurting, dying, losing loved ones and wonder how this can be so.
Tempted and tried, we’re oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus all the day long;
While there are others living about us,
Never molested, though in the wrong.
The author of this song, William Stevens, knew about hardships. Born in 1862, his life started with his father being arrested that very year along with many other Germans. They were accused of an uprising and imprisoned. As a soldier, his father was accused of mutiny but after 6 months in prison won an appeal and was released. Stevens’ uncle died of heart disease at the age of 48 and his son at 19 of the same thing. Stevens saw in his family hardships.
Sometimes I wonder why I must suffer,
Go in the rain, the cold, and the snow,
When there are many living in comfort,
Giving no heed to all I can do.
I’m sure we have all been where Stevens was questioning why he must suffer. James gives us a reason for this. In the Bible, many times “temptations” means “testings” or “trials.” “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” James 1:2-3
Often when death has taken our loved ones,
Leaving our home so lone and so drear,
Then do we wonder why others prosper,
Living so wicked year after year.
Stevens knew about death. He and his wife traveled as he ministered to other churches than establishing two churches himself. All of their children died before them. Most died as babies and two as teens. They knew the suffering that comes with the death of a loved one. They wondered I’m sure after each child died, why.
“Faithful till death,” saith our loving Master;
Short is our time to labor and wait;
Then will our toiling seem to be nothing,
When we shall pass the heavenly gate.
They knew the meaning of remaining faithful. Being an evangelist and starting churches, he didn’t give up. They were faithful in their Christians lives until the day they died. And for this, I’m sure God is rewarding them. Stevens concluded the song with the chorus explaining how to react to the sufferings of this world.
May it be a reminder to all of us today who are suffering in this fallen world that the best is yet to come!
Farther along we’ll know more about it,
Farther along we’ll understand why;
Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,
We’ll understand it all by and by.
