Quiet Confidence

This is part of a syndicated series for Lent 2019 with Harvard’s Christian Journal Ichthus. Visit Ichthus at http://www.harvardichthus.org | By Angela Eichhorst ’22. Angela is a freshman living in Canaday.

I have a quiet confidence. It is still but certain and based upon God’s love and words of truth.

I have a quiet confidence. It is still but certain and based upon God’s love and words of truth. It is a confidence that my God loves to give me good things. He turns towards me relentlessly. He “answers me”, “defends me”, “sends me help”, “strengthens me” and “accepts me”. What a cause to rejoice! Sometimes I thank him with shouts of praise and songs that tumble out of my inmost being, but today I feel a small candle burning steady, untouched by the drafts that may blow in and out of my soul.

“May he grant you according to your heart’s desire.” My heart’s desire. What joy that my Lord longs to grant me my inmost longings. What is my heart’s desire? I don’t know. Though I bring my daily petitions for myself and others to God’s feet, what does my soul silently cry out for night after night? If I don’t know myself in this mess of a soul, God certainly does. For he formed my inmost parts. I take a deep breath and a song rises up: Jesus Christ the Apple Tree by Anthony Piccolo, words by Richard Hutchins. Lying on my bed at night my soul often sings “I’m weary with my former toil, Here will I sit and rest awhile: Under the shadow I will be Of Jesus Christ the apple tree.” Yes. My deepest desire is a safety and peace, to rest in God’s arms and on his promises. This assurance is joyfully given to me, “may the King answer us when we call.”