Apart from the psalmists, the Lord has mostly used the treasury of Fanny Crosby’s hymns to remind me of God’s magnificently potent and and ever tender mercy. I’m confident I stand among many who share the same sentiment. I can remember moments before my conversion being exposed to the hymns, “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior,” “Blessed Assurance,” and “To God Be the Glory.” At the time, they brought more confusion to my heart than joy. I had no taste for spiritually-discerned things, but I knew that if the God being written about was real He offered more than I was attempting to find in the world. Now looking back on her writings as a follower of Christ—which lead me to consider the Scriptures—my soul connects with her varied expressions of praise. It is a gift to be stirred to love and serve Jesus by other saints, whether in song, prose, or some other means. Personally, I thank the Lord for His work in and through Fanny Crosby.
Crosby lived almost 95 years and is responsible for approximately 8,000 hymns and gospel songs, not to mention numerous other general songs, poems, and writings. She was steeped in Christian teaching thanks to her mother and maternal grandmother. So steeped in fact that from the age of 10 she was in the habit of memorizing 5 books of the Bible each week. It is also reported that by age 15, she had memorized all 4 Gospels, the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), Proverbs, the Song of Songs, and a myriad of the Psalms. Her twice-weekly music lessons afforded her the opportunity to become proficient in piano, organ, harp, guitar, and singing in the soprano range. All this she did while enduring the affliction of blindness. Her story reminds me of John 9 (take up and read). (And all this she did, by her own admission, as an unbeliever. Crosby was 30 years old before she realized in her heart the emptiness of her outward efforts to attain the Christian’s peace. She surrendered to the Gospel at this time.)
God is in the business of flooding hope when all joy seems lost. His glory is amplified in this. The Cross fuels correct perspective in times like this and burns off the dross of empty ritual. Worship is enhanced at times like this, but we will miss the depth of His mercy if we take our eyes off the one who leads us in triumphant procession (2 Cor 2:14). What might it be that is tempting you to look elsewhere for refuge? Is an affliction minimizing or magnifying the goodness of Christ in your heart? Are you turning more inward or running to God and His wise stewards of comfort and help? Could it be that today you need your response to affliction recalibrated? I have been here more times than I care to state. But I’m grateful time and time again, the Lord has used the words of Fanny Crosby’s, “All the Way My Savior Leads Me” to lead me back the Scriptures where I remember who God is, my identity in Christ, His sovereign purposes, and my true needs in times of affliction.
Will you be reminded once more with me?
All the Way My Savior Leads Me
All the way my Savior leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in him to dwell!
For I know whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Savior leads me;
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for ev’ry trial,
Feeds me with the living bread;
Though my weary steps my falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see.
All the way my Savior leads;
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above:
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.
Fanny knew these truths and proved God faithful to His promises. May her perspective on affliction be used to shape our moments of darkest night:
“It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.”