This is the proper work of this life. As for sights and visions of God, they are the work of heaven; and though God gives them sometimes, yet it argues more strength of grace to be able to live without them. Suppose two men are working for you; one that must have his pay immediately, yea before he has completed his work. The other does not want his wages till his work be all done, and if you offer him money, he says, “No, I will wait till all be done, and receive it in a lump together.” Which of these two is the abler man, and which the poorer? Will you not say, Surely, he that cannot wait is the poorer, and he that can wait for his wages is the abler man? So it is here. God has two sorts of servants: one that goes by visions and manifestations of love, and is not able to live at all by faith, but must have sights, and visions, and manifestations every day, or else he murmurs or complains. The other sort says, Oh! but these sights and visions are for heaven. If God will have it so, I am contented to stay till all my work be done. Which of these two is the poorer, which the stronger? Will not you say, Surely, he that is able to wait is stronger; and he the poorer and weaker that is not able to wait, or to live by faith? Oh! therefore labor more and more to live by faith; and when you are in desertion, say, whether saved or not saved, whether  a hypocrite or not a hypocrite, I will wait, I will wait on God, and let Him come when he pleases. If you lay yourself at Christ’s feet, He will take you into His arms.

But what need I say more? Is there not enough in the compass of your own experience, to answer all your fears in this respect? When you have been in desertion, have you not said that Christ is gone and that He will never come again? and yet has not Christ come again? Yea, and have you not said in the day of your desertion, If ever Christ returns again, I will never draw such unbelieving conclusions as I have done? and has not Christ returned after this?

Now, then, when Satan comes and suggest jealousies of Christ’s love unto you, why are you not more peremptory? Why do you not say to him,

This I have heard before, Satan; you told me this before, that Christ was gone, and would never return again; but I have found it false; he did return, and therefore, through grace, I will never believe these false reports of Christ. Christ is faithful, I have always found Him so; those whom He loves, He loves to the end; and I know He loves me, Satan, for I love him. My love is but the reflection of His love; I could not love Him if He did not love me first. Through grace, I love Him; I know He loves me, because He has changed me, and is all the way sending me some tokens of love, one promise or another to uphold my heart. yea, I know, Satan, that Christ loves me, because you tell me that He hates me. If He has loved once, He will love me to the end; and therefore though for the present He hides His face from me, yet I shall see His face again.

Thus gather in your experiences, and plead with Satan, or your own unbelieving hearts, according unto all these experiences; so shall you be able to live in the time of this desertion, and never be discouraged, whatever your desertions be.

[An excerpt from the book, A Lifting Up For The Downcast by William Bridge.]