AELW 12:78
"David understood this art, as his sermons testify. Then, too, experience shows that he did not abandon hope when he was punished, for he continues to call on God. But even if his joy was exceedingly weak, still he overcame fear, because he saw the end of the chastisement. Nor was he entirely overwhelmed, as happens to the godless. If you look at the flesh, it is almost overloaded with fear also in David, so that he does not feel any joy. And yet, as Paul says (Rom. 7:25), “he serves the Law of God with his mind.” Even when suffering the punishment of exile, he calls on God. He does not feel that there is no place for mercy, as in the case of a jailer. Even while he receives the blows, he thinks to himself: “He is my Father; He will not be angry forever....
...It is, therefore, easy to say that the true fear of God is a filial fear, that is, a fear mixed with joy or hope. But if you follow your feeling, you will perceive that joy is all but overwhelmed and extinguished by fear. But you must not on that account let your heart sink or despair, but trust in the Lord and lay hold on his Word, which declares that God’s anger is but for a moment (Ps. 30:5) and His favor is for a lifetime. That is, God wants us to live. He does not want us to perish. And for this very reason He sends us blows. And so it happens that you feel at least some small drop of joy. It will grow little by little until it finally overcomes fear. The practice is difficult, but is nevertheless of the kind which the saints of God learned to do, as their examples show. We, too, must follow in their footsteps and learn this art also. Moreover, the Holy Spirit will come to our aid, especially when we pray."
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