Unconquerable Gladness

Rise above it all. Spread the sails of faith.
Let the Spirit blow.
Rise above the confusion, the frustrations.
Rise above the depressing realities.
Let not the griefs pull you down.
Walk on the waters of sorrows.
Find that unconquerable gladness—
That ability to see goodness
And to know the strong rock beneath you—
And the difference between time and eternity.
See the end from the beginning.
See the surface appearances of evil for what they are.
They are destined to fail—to end in infamy.
Evil is only for a moment. It is under judgment.
See it in history.
Understand it plainly.
God’s sovereign goodness will prevail.
The cross seems to be the end.
But the tomb is empty—that is the great surprise!
Unexpected! Goodness is unexpected!
Evil we can anticipate.
We must rise above it all.
We must see the centuries instead of the decades.
We must see eternity instead of time.
Then and only then can we prevail.

Arthur Christmas, 1997