PERPLEXITY

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · March 11, 1880

I SAT and thought and queried, And my thought was sorely vexed; For the more I reasoned to make it clear, The more I was perplexed.

I had promised my chosen Master To live and to work for him; But the way of his will was all confused, And my apprehension dim.

My heart held a secret longing: Was it in his will or no That I should cherish a tempting thought Of the thing I longed for so?

Could it be his own true giving, And the longing but a sign That in his time I should have and hold The coveted thing for mine?

I said, If a voice from Heaven Would but speak and make it plain, I would joyfully follow my Lord’s command, Nor ever question again.

I opened the blessed pages, If haply a word might be A hint I could take for yea or nay, Of his will the golden key.

And many a faithful promise To the striving heart I saw, With counsels broad as a life might reach, Out of his holy law.

But touching the strait that bound me I found no answering word; The way of his will was hedged about With silence all unstirred.

I bowed with a bitter weeping; It seemed too heavy to bear: But to say, I will leave it all with him, Had never been in my prayer.

Then something softly taught me— ’Twas the lesson of my strait— The way of his will is the way of faith; And faith can trust him and wait.

So I set my hand to labor In that where I knew his will, For the rest, I could only bide his time: And I’m trusting and waiting still.

—Advocate and Guardian.