HI 2:13{Does it not almost seem as if we were at times trusting to our trust, making everything hinge upon it, and thereby only removing a subtle dependence upon ourselves one step farther back, disguising instead of renouncing it? If Christ's keeping depends upon our trusting, and our continuing to trust depends upon ourselves, we are in no better or safer position than before, and shall only be landed in a fresh series of disappointments. The old story, something for the sinner to do, crops up again here, only with the ground shifted from works to trust. Said a friend to me, "I see now! I did trust Jesus to do everything else for me, but I thought that this trusting was something that I had to do." And so, of course, what she had to do had been a perpetual effort and frequent failure. We can no more trust and keep on trusting than we can do anything else of ourselves. Even in this it must be "Jesus only"; we are not to look to Him only to be the Author and Finisher of our faith, but we are to look to Him for all the intermediate fulfillment of the work of faith (2 Thess. 1:1111Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: (2 Thessalonians 1:11)); we must ask Him to go on fulfilling it in us, committing even this to His power.
Distrust thyself, but trust His strength;
In Him thou shalt be strong:
His weakest ones may learn at length
A daily triumph song.
Distrust thyself, but trust alone
In Him, for all forever!
And joyously thy heart shall own
That Jesus faileth never.