One of the benefits of reading Christian biographies is to be inspired by the diligence of past Christians who persevered in the face of great trials. When one studies the life of William Carey, a Baptist missionary to India, one sees that the fruit of his labor did not come without a cost. By the time of his death, he had helped to translate and print the Bible into many languages, he had founded a college to train men for the ministry, he had opened a door for new missionaries to come into India, and he had seen many Indians convert to Christ. The great fruit of his ministry, however, came as a result of diligence in the face of testing.
William Carey went through many dark valleys throughout his life, yet he chose to remain diligent in his service to the Lord. Before the mission field, Carey faced various difficulties. Carey came from a poor family in a small, overlooked village in England. Carey struggled to make a living as a shoe cobbler and tried to open a school to supplement his income but was unsuccessful. Carey’s first child, a girl, died at the age of two. When Carey began preaching, he struggled to get ordained because many thought his sermons were boring. When Carey expressed his burden for foreign missions work, many preachers in England opposed him and called him an ‘enthusiast’.
On the mission field in India, Carey also faced many difficulties. While in India, Carey struggled to feed his family and provide them proper housing. Carey suffered at times from malaria, dysentery, and cholera. Carey’s five-year-old son died from dysentery and his first wife had a mental breakdown. His first and second wife died and so did some more of his children. Carey had a ministry partner who mismanaged funds. He had a fire destroy years of translation work. He labored for 41 years without a furlough. When one looks at the life of Carey, it makes our trials seem so small. Carey faced many trials, yet he remained diligent!
In 2 Peter 3:14-15a the Bible says, “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation…” 2 Peter 3, reminds us of the coming Day of the Lord when God will return and bring judgment upon the ungodly and will usher in “a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (v. 13b). As we look for this hope of Christ’s return and the restoration of all things, we are commanded to remain diligent in the face of our “light affliction, which is but for moment” (2 Cor. 4:17a). Any discomfort or suffering on earth will be worth it as it “worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17b). The labors of William Carey were worth it because Christ was glorified in his life and many people came to know Christ through his labors. God is longsuffering. God is delaying His triumphant return as He patiently awaits the “reward of His suffering.” That reward being the many who come to know His redeeming grace through Jesus Christ the Lord.
God’s judgment is coming. All wrongs will be vindicated. God will receive the glory. We will forever be with Him. This should motivate us to be diligent in the face of all suffering so that we “may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”
~Pastor Aaron Francis
