Samuel Rutherford had been away from his church, from his dear congregation, for a long time. In his letters he laments all the dumb, silent Sabbaths he spent away from them, away from the ministry he loved to do. Some suggested he go abroad, to this place across the sea called New England. He would be free to preach there, but he refused. In a letter to his friend John Stuart, he describes the state of his heart and his desires:

Now, for any resolution to go to any other kingdom, I dare not speak one word. My hopes of enlargement are cold, my hopes of re-entry to my Master’s ill-dressed vineyard again are far colder. I have no seat for my faith to sit on, but bare omnipotency, and God’s holy arm and good-will. Here I desire to stay, and ride at anchor, and winter, whill God send fair weather again, and be pleased to take home to His house my harlot-mother. Oh, if her husband would be that kind, as to go and fetch her out of the brothel-house, and chase her lovers to the hills! But there will be sad days ere it come to that.

Rutherford had opportunities to go elsewhere, but he refused. His heart was with the people of God in his own country, people who he describes as unfaithful to God at the present moment, a church that was taking its orders from the state instead of the Lord. But his refusal wasn’t based on any hope that things would get better. In fact, he was convinced it would get worse. But he didn’t base his faith on these outward signs.

Many of us are facing impossible situations. Many of us have prayed for decades for someone or something and outwardly things don’t seem to have moved an inch. But does our faith sit in the outward signs or is it rooted in God’s character, in his power to save and his good promises to his people? True faith is anchored right there. It is able to keep still and winter and wait until God is pleased to act. In the meantime, we can be sure that God is still working behind the scenes, preparing the way for our prayers to be answered.