The time of weaning is one of great suffering to the soul, but a very necessary time; no one learns true independence of infant helps, until it is weaned. It is surprising how many nurses we have, and it is just in proportion as we attain strength to get on without any of them, that our age or advance in Christian life is determined. I believe most of us are going through a process of “weaning,” and, what is it for? Simply, that in our given strength, we might be able to depend on God, without the support of that which betokened our personal feebleness.
The suffering of weaning arises from the deprivation of something with which we connected the blessings of life, and this evidently may occur in many ways. Satan, no doubt, thought Job could not be weaned, for he said to God, “Touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face” (Job 1:1111But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. (Job 1:11)); but Job was weaned. The soul is weaned when it worships God, and prays for others. I cannot worship unless my soul is engaged with God; I cannot pray for others if I am occupied with myself, and the loss of any of my channels of comfort. God must wean us
Oh! what days and nights of bitter soul-tears are shed while the soul is being weaned from some long-enjoyed mercy. Is it that our God would not indulge us? Is it that He who gave His Son would deny us anything? No; but He must wean us, or we shall never know what it is to depend on Him apart from any human or natural intervention! Paul, no doubt, often spoke of having no confidence in the flesh, but it was in the prison at Rome that he felt he was entirely weaned. For any soul who has marked its own progress from the moment of deprivation until he was weaned—that is, until he was resting in God, and independent of his loss—can toll the momentary lulls and the rapidly succeeding agonies which marked the desperate, dark tunnel, until he reached the light and joy of God’s presence. Oh! how He pities us in all this anguish. He cannot give in, or relax His hand, but He furnishes us with many lamps to modify the chill and darkness of our subterranean travel.
Let me just notice, that if we have learned the love of God evangelically, and not historically (i.e. experimentally), we shall be more distressed the greater our knowledge of His love, than if we knew less of it—for we are disappointed with God. God’s love can only display itself fully in its own sphere. If I have learned the righteousness on which it is based, I shall better understand how much it must correct and subdue in me, before it can enjoy itself with me. If I judge myself in the light of His love, I must see how much I need to be weaned.