Recently the lyrics of the hymn keep popping up in my mind. Especially the following few lines
“Dark is the wilderness, Earth has no resting place,
Perishing things of clay, born but for one brief day
All that my soul has tried left but a dismal void;,”

Recently in a personal correspondence with a friend, we were sharing about how easily one could be rob of peace. This is true especially for the past 2 months. On one hand my family is preparing for the joy of having a second child. But suddenly in the span of 2 months, everything in my life went downhill. The peace that I was having for the past one year just suddenly disappeared. I suddenly feel so fragile, and my peace can be taken away by just a simple message.

It feels as though the entire world turn tables against me in a single day. When i try to seek comfort anywhere, all I received from all direction is negativity, hostility and I have to defend myself on all direction.

In the midst of this, I prayed, and all the message I receive from God is “Be still, I am the Lord” (Ps 46:10).  Strangely it brought a lot of comfort to me. It seem to me that it is a trial. For on weekends where I need to serve, the amount of troubles for that week seem to decrease, just enough for me to finish my work.

I wonder what’s the lesson to learn behind all these. I am still wondering and I am still looking. But meanwhile in the midst of all these trouble, my earthly joy had indeed faded. It is hard to find the strength to move on, but the hymn seems to comfort a lot.

All I can do now is to plead with God in the same manner like Moses and to make the same request

“So teach us to number our days,
  That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
   Return, O Lord!
  How long?
  And have compassion on Your servants.
   Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
  That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
  Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,
  The years in which we have seen evil.” – Moses (Ps 90:12-15)

Indeed, earth had no resting place, and all that we can do to solve our problem is just limited. We should know that life on earth is short, and we are just perishing things of clay.

But for now, let us just enjoy this hymn together.

Title : Jesus is mine
Lyrics : “Jane C Bonar”"
Tune : “Theodore E Perkins”

Fade, fade, each earthly joy, Jesus is mine!
Break every tender tie, Jesus is mine!
Dark is the wilderness, Earth has no resting place,
Jesus alone can bless, Jesus is mine!

Tempt not my soul away, Jesus is mine!
Here would I ever stay, Jesus is mine!
Perishing things of clay, born but for one brief day,
Pass from my heart away, Jesus is mine!

Farewell, ye dreams of night, Jesus is mine!
Lost in this dawning bright, Jesus is mine!
All that my soul has tried left but a dismal void;
Jesus has satisfied, Jesus is mine!

Farewell, mortality, Jesus is mine!
Welcome, eternity, Jesus is mine!
Welcome, oh, loved and blest, welcome sweet scenes of rest,
Welcome, my Savior’s breast, Jesus is mine!

I found a very nice rendition of the hymn from this user.