#jimelliot

Jim Elliot

His faith, though still incredibly strong, was being put to an extreme test.  Some of the doubts which Ed had expressed out loud were now showing up more regularly in my father’s journal, in my father’s voice. 

[Jim Elliot]

February 24: Was much cast down in spirit last evening.  Ed and I have been here in Chester six weeks, with so little evident blessing from God. 

March 5: Evening.  Too weak even to demonstrate weakness.  Have come to such a state that I must desire to desire!  The tears of my heart are frozen in the cold of my intellect. 

March 17: Sterile days.  The past few days have been very trying and difficult...There has been a sense of discouragement and doubt come over me through this.  I prayed, simply, earnestly, believingly, insofar as I knew how, and did not receive what I asked for, namely 150 people and six conversions.  I know all the old reasons for not being heard and getting better answers and so on, but all that does not solve this difficulty. 

[Elizabeth Elliot] 

Jim, dear brother, it is just here that the nature of your consecration-- which is the same as saying the nature of your love to God-- is tested.  The decisions which are made in “green pastures” are tested in the “valley of the shadow,” for it is here that HE is most vitally with us, if I may use the expression, although He is forever equally “with us,” since He tabernacles within us. 

You say, “This Jericho must fall or I shall be unable to go on in the path of faith.”  Surely you were not really thinking when you made that statement.  The very principle of faith precludes any and all necessity of dependency upon anything but God Himself... Do you love God for Himself alone?  Or do you love Him for His gifts, His conscious presence, His love to you, His evident blessing upon what you do, etc...?

Jim, I truly believe there comes a time in the progress of the soul who truly desires to be conformable to Christ’s image when God strips him not only of earthly props in the form of friends, possessions, talents, or whatever he may include an infinite variety of forms.  This process, however devastating it may seem, must be recognized as another further providence.  Another gracious answer to our sincere cry of faith, “Thy will be done”...