TheosGuy

The following passage from Archibald Alexander on stray thoughts causing trouble during the devotional life of a believer, was something to consider for a Monday morning staff devotional.

“The old writer before mentioned introduces a struggling soul mourning on this account: ‘Oh the perplexing trouble of my distracting thoughts! How do they continually disturb the quiet of my mind and make my holy duties become a weariness of my soul! They cool the heart, they damp the vigour, they deaden the comfort of my devotions. Even when I pray God to forgive my sins, I then sin whilst I am praying for forgiveness; yea, whether it be in the church or in the closet, so frequently and so violently do these thoughts withdraw my heart from God’s service that I cannot have confidence he hears my suit, because I know by experience I do not hear myself; surely therefore God must needs be far off from my prayer whilst my heart is so far out of his presence, hurried away with a crowd of vain imaginations.’ To which he applies the following consolations:

‘1. These vain thoughts, being thy burden, shall not be thy ruin; and though they do take from the sweetness, they shall not take from the sincerity of thy devotions.’

‘2. It is no little glory which we give to God in the acknowledgment of his omnipresence and omniscience that we acknowledge him to be privy to the first risings of our most inward thoughts.’

‘3. It is much the experience of God’s children, even the devoutest saints, that their thoughts of God and of Christ, of heaven and holiness, are very unsteady and fleeting. Like the sight of a star through an optic glass held by a palsied hand, such is our view of divine objects.’

‘4. Know thou hast the gracious mediation of an all- sufficient Saviour to supply thy defects and procure an acceptance of thy sincere though imperfect devotions.’

‘5. As thou hast the gracious mediation of an all- sufficient Saviour to supply thy defects, so hast thou the strengthening power of his Holy Spirit to help thy infirmities; which strength is made perfect in weakness. When thou art emptied it shall fill thee; when thou art stumbled, it shall raise thee. The experience of God’s saints will tell thee that they have long languished under this cross of vain thoughts , yet after long conflict have obtained a joyful conquest, and from mourning doves have become mounting eagles.'”

Thoughts on Religious Experience
Archibald Alexander
Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication. 1844