Count It All Joy

“Yet I see, when God calls a person to anything, and through never so many difficulties, yet He is fully able to carry them through and make them see, and say they have been gainers thereby…I have learned to look beyond present and smaller troubles, and to be quieted under them. As Moses said, ‘Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” ~Mary Rowlandson~

The year was 1676. The sun was rising on a brisk February morning in the settlement of Lancaster, Massachusetts. Mary Rowlandson and her three children were rudely awakened by horrifying screams and deafening gun shots. Mary’s husband, the Reverend Joseph Rowlandson had traveled to Boston, attempting to organize a militia to keep the Indians from attacking. With a pang of fear, Mary realized he was too late.

Three other houses had been raided and burned before the Indians fell upon the Rowlandson house. Mary had gathered her children and was reaching for the doorknob when bullets shattered through the walls and the house caught fire.

Escaping the flames, Mary and her children watched as their entire town was destroyed. Bodies lay everywhere; some groaning and crying for help, others lying perfectly still. Mary herself was shot through her side and with horror realized the same bullet had wounded the child she carried in her arms. Chaos reigned as Indians screamed, raising their glistening weapons and people cried in pain and fear while their houses crumbled down. Mary and her children were taken captive along with twenty others. Thirteen settlers were killed. The town lay in a heap of smoking ashes.

But there was no time to look back. A rude shove with the end of a rifle caused Mary to stumble after the others. She held on to her children tightly; she could let nothing separate them. Tears filled her eyes as she was torn away from the settlement. What would happen to Joseph when he returned to find no home, no town, no family? Would he know that they were still alive? Would she ever see him again?

The prisoners were made to walk continually, never able to rest, only pushed on. Mary wearily trudged after the long line, the pain in her side increased, but she hardly noticed her own discomfort while tending to her daughter, Sarah. The six year old child’s wound was a severe one and was only worsening. She had caught a fever and Mary had to carry her because she was too weak to walk on her own. Bent under the weight of her sick child, Mary prayed that the Lord would not forget her, but would give her the strength to endure. Finally, the Indians hoisted Mary and Sarah onto a horse behind a warrior. A short while later Sarah died in her mother’s arms.

After three months of captivity and traveling 150 miles, Mary Rowlandson was ransomed and set free on May 2, 1676. Her two surviving children were also released a short while later. She was reunited with her husband in Boston, where they made their new home.
Mary wrote an account of her experiences as an Indian captive and titled it The Sovereignty and Goodness of God, Together with the Faithfulness of His Promises Displayed; Being a Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. What a title for a woman who had suffered tremendously! Her book is more than a story of her captivity; it is a testament to God’s unfailing grace and faithfulness.

Mary had many reasons to be bitter, to complain and be discouraged. But instead, she trusted in the sovereignty of her Lord and viewed her time of suffering as a blessing, because she learned more about God’s grace. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18. She knew the Lord was in control, knew that He had ordained the path her life would follow before she was born. She said, “Oh, I may see the wonderful power of God, that my spirit did not utterly sink under my affliction: still the Lord upheld me with His gracious and merciful spirit…”

Even though Mary had experienced great suffering, she was able to say “Oh the experience that I have had of the goodness of God, to me and mine!” Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto the praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6

Oh that we could have the faith and trust of Mary Rowlandson! If we could only view suffering as a way the Lord draws us to Him. If only we would trust that God is sovereign and be content in the fact that though His ways are higher than our ways, they are perfect in every way and are part of His plan for our lives! Are we willing to endure through the fire so we can be brought forth as gold? Are we ready to accept the sufferings in our lives and bring God glory through them? Are we prepared to “…count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience”? (James 1:2)

"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37:5. If every earthly possession, loved one, and comfort was taken from us, if we can only say with Job “…the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

“Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.” ~C.H. Spurgeon~

-From Becky