The Secret of Power — "Giving Thanks in Everything!”

“Giving thanks at all times for all things to him who is God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20)

This is God's command to those who would be full of the Holy Spirit, and no one I have ever known obeyed this command more faithfully than John Hyde. It was one great source of his joy and therefore of his attractive power. Again and again he would declare that if we want to know why trials are sent us, let us begin by thanking God for them, and we will doubtless soon see why they have been sent.

We had among ourselves a phrase, “Praising God through shut teeth," that meant praising God in the face of the greatest troubles and darkest hours of life. This we can always do, for we can never doubt that He is our Father in Heaven, and so all must be well for us at all times in all circumstances.

He used to tell of a remarkable experience he had. He and his catechists were all itinerating together in his district. They had arrived at a village, and as it was the hot weather, they had to rise early to go out preaching.

This morning John awoke with one of his worst headaches, it was so painful that he could not lift his head from his pillow. Yet he could look up to his Heavenly Father and thank Him for the love that had permitted that headache!

His evangelists carried his bed out to a shady place and then went away to preach at his express desire. Now in that village, work among the womenfolk was at a standstill. Some of the men had learnt of Christ and confessed Him in baptism; but their wives had never come forward. When spoken to they would always make the excuse that they had never consulted each other, so that all of them might be baptized together.

These women heard that the Padri Sahib was not well, and in a body went to commiserate with him. He spoke to them of the claims of Christ, which they at once admitted. Yes, they believed He had died for them, sinners. John asked them why they had not confessed Him before men.

They said they had not talked the matter over among themselves. He said there was no time like the present, let them do so now. To this they agreed, and after some discussion they all declared that it was plain to them that they ought to be baptized.

To the great joy of their husbands and the evangelists this was done, and John Hyde saw why the headache had been sent. He was enabled to thank God then with understanding. He always declared this experience was a valuable lesson to him and enabled him to thank God "for all things" "at all times."

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