“The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life” – A review
THE CHRISTIAN’S SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE, by Hannah Whitall Smith.
Entire abandonment. Absolute faith. That’s the Christian’s secret to a happy life. There are certain wordings and phrases I choose not use, but given the time period and reading into Hannah Whitall Smith’s biography I can more understand why they might be used. It also answers the question of why it’s a more difficult read, but still proven to be such a gripping one to take in!
‘A Happy Life,’ the title concludes. A phrase I stay away from because it insinuates an aim towards being happy. Different than true joy (even when life doesn’t seem happy). Maybe it’s an early stage of ‘click bait,’ or a self-help model that leads you into knowing only your abandonment of self and faith in God and His way to bring you to the point of true purpose. It does lead you there. It answers the questions most Christians are seeking. And if we can come to the point of understanding, ‘every believer has everything the minute he is converted,’ it will lead to a much happier church. May we proclaim it, that the church may by faith claim it.
The higher Christian life is a phrase I wouldn’t use today. In a world of cults and the predominant view that most churches are cults, I wouldn’t draw attention to my life as higher than yours. However, I understand it’s context. Most Christians do not experience rest and victory as part of their journey. I did not for much of mine. Yet Scripture settles this for us who believe, ‘in the Lord Jesus a life of abiding rest and of continual victory.’ There is no higher life, no higher calling.
‘The greatest burden we have to carry in life is self.’ I love her use of illustrations to get her points across. Certainly we must take our troubles to the Lord. But she goes further to say, ‘but we must do more than that; we must leave them there.’ Many take their burdens to Him, but then bring them away again with them, leaving them just as unhappy as ever before. No wonder there is such a lack of peace. Trusting isn’t easy, but when we learn to trust God and leave our issues with Him, we no longer have to carry that burden. It’s such a relief!
Sanctification — A sudden step of faith AND a gradual process of works. In our part, it is a step of faith; God’s part is a process. We get into Christ by faith; by His process we are made to grow up unto Him. Our trust puts us into His (The Potters) hands, gradually He makes us into a vessel for His honor.
Two messages that do not contradict. Contrastive is not contradictory. If I speak of only God’s part of the work of sanctification you will hear a great truth. Likewise, If I speak only of mans part. To the church these seem to contradict, they do not. It is simply a description of two sides to the same building. They must be viewed together to understand fully. Man’s part is to trust, God’s part is to work. The believer can do nothing but trust, the Lord, who is trusted, carries out the work entrusted to Him. When I speak of man’s part I can only talk of surrender and trust. When I speak of God’s part I can only talk of the work, for that is the Lord’s part in the matter. We must distinguish the two but surely present them together.
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