June 15

a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build, — Eccl 3:3 BSB

Throughout the life of a Christian, there will always be "a time to kill, and a time to heal." Sometimes we hear or read about people whose experience of grace starts with deep, powerful convictions of sin, bringing them to the very brink of hell, followed by a glorious revelation of Jesus Christ, a profound application of His atoning blood to their conscience, and a blessed manifestation of God’s love to their soul. From that moment on, they seem to have an unwavering assurance for the rest of their lives. They claim that sin and Satan no longer trouble or wound them, the flesh is as calm as a peaceful sea, and they are gently carried along by the divine favor until they reach eternal rest.

But is this consistent with the Scriptures? Does the Bible present the Christian path as one free from trial and temptation? Can a living soul walk through life without being "killed" in their feelings as one of "the flock of slaughter"? Isn’t the Christian life marked by a mixture of experiences? Does the Bible give us any reason to believe that someone can walk in the footsteps of a tempted, suffering Lord while being at ease for months and years without any trouble, grief, or distress in their soul? David wasn’t there. Neither were Jeremiah, Paul, Heman, or Asaph. None of the saints whose experiences are recorded in Scripture lived such a life. Their path was one of ups and downs, mourning and rejoicing, but never staying in one state for long.

The Spirit of the Lord works in two distinct ways within the hearts of God’s people. Just as Jeremiah was commissioned to both "root out, pull down, and destroy" and "build and plant," so the Spirit of the Lord continually operates by both killing and healing, casting down and raising up. He brings the soul low in self-abasement and then builds it up sweetly in Christ. This process continues throughout the Christian’s life.