Hymns: Farther Along

Have you ever known someone who felt that living the Christian life wasn't really worth all the trouble?  Maybe you have been there yourself.  We want hardship to be the lot of "sinners" and "unbelievers."  There is a common misconception among Christians today which suggests that placing one's faith in Christ will remove all hardship.  However, that is not the way Jesus counseled countless seekers.  Jesus always warned that one should count the cost of discipleship before following in his tracks.  For some it cost their wealth, others lost their family, others lost their freedom, and still others lost their lives.

Being aware of the fact that believers are guaranteed to suffer in Christ, does not always prepare a believer for suffering. Seeing a murderer go free because of a technicality, forces us to question the reality of justice.  It is difficult to understand how rapists and child molesters are allowed to continue the devastating practices.  Why doesn't God just stop them?  A glance at the paper or a clip of the evening news often leaves us wondering what is going on in the world.

These feelings are nothing new.  In 1937, W. B. Stevens, penned the words to the hymn, "Farther Along."  The song captures both the frustration of the human experience and the reality of providence.  We cannot see all ends.  We don't always (usually) know what God is up to.  In the midst of our confusion, we have the choice to trust or not.  The evidence of God's character compels us to trust.  In order to do that we must look beyond our circumstance to the one who is control, and remind ourselves that he is trust worthy.

Stevens wrote:

Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus all the day long,
While there are others living about us,
Never molested tho' in the wrong.

(Chorus)
Farther along we'll know all about it,
Farther along we'll understand why;
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine,
We'll understand it all by and by.

When death has come and taken our loved ones,
It leaves our home so lonely and drear;
Then do we wonder why others prosper
Living so wicked year after year. (Chorus)

Faithful till death, said our loving Master,
A few more days to labor and wait,
Toils of the road will then seem nothing,
As we sweep through that beautiful gate. (Chorus)

When we see Jesus coming in glory,
When he comes from his home in the sky;
Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion,
We'll understand it all by and by. (Chorus)

 There will be times in which we must remind ourselves that a day is coming when we will no longer be tempted or tried.  A day is coming when the wicked will no longer prosper.  There is coming day when we shall see our Master in all of his glory and our questions will all drop away.  Until that day, we must remind ourselves that we'll understand it all by and by.

Here is Johnny Cash's version:



Here is Brad Paisley's version: