This life is a life of trials; who is there altogether free from them? We must expect them, and be ready to meet them when they come. Sometimes they cluster so thickly around us that we need a stout heart and much grace to bear them meekly, and to pass through them unhurt.

Let us talk about those trials that belong to old age; perhaps we shall find ourselves all the better for saying a few words about them.

Loss of strength is a great trial to an old person. It is painful to feel that you cannot do many things now which you once did so easily. To be busy and happy was once perhaps your greatest enjoyment. But now your limbs can hardly carry you; many of the occupations of life are a burden to you.

But let not this distress you. It is your portion, and God has so ordered it. Though the “outer man perish,” He can strengthen you in your soul, so that the “inner man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16).

And is there no mercy in your very feebleness? It reminds you constantly that your life is drawing to a close, while a voice from heaven whispers to you that “there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God” (Heb. 4:9). In that heavenly home there will be no weakness, no weariness, no infirmity, and no sin.

Loss of memory is another great trial that generally accompanies old age. I imagine you can remember pretty well what happened years ago; but you entirely forget what happened yesterday. What you read is soon lost; it passes away like letters written on the sand. You hear a sermon, and what your minister said is all gone an hour later; even the very text is forgotten. You may sometimes be vexed with yourself for this, and you even fear that God may be angry with you. But no; He is no hard master. He does not reap where He has not sown (Luke 19:21). He is quite aware of your infirmities. He knows very well the weakness of your frame, and remembers that you are but dust (Ps. 103:14). He is too kind and too just to require of you what you cannot give Him.

Never mind then the badness of your memory. God will not call you to account for that. The great thing is to have your heart right with God. Entreat Him to cleanse and purify that by His Holy Spirit, and then all will be well.

There is a third loss which old persons often mourn over, and that is the loss of friends. One after another dies, and they find themselves left behind like a solitary tree in the wilderness. Their dearest children have perhaps been taken from them; maybe a lonely widowhood is their portion. There is something sad in all this. It is sad indeed to see an aged one bereft of those who once clung to him with fond affection, and now left all alone. But, my dear friend, remember this: you will never be alone if God is your God. Christ is the Friend, the Brother, the Husband of His people. Others may forsake you, but He never will. You may reckon on His love; it will not fail you. He is with you now, and He will never leave nor forsake you. If you can say, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” then you may add, “Therefore I shall not want.”

Old people often feel also that they are only a trouble to others. This is a heavy trial to some. But why should it be? It is the will of God that we should look to others for help in infancy and old age. Surely a son or a daughter ought to feel it not only a sacred duty, but also a pleasure, to supply the needs of an aged parent. And I am sure, where the heart is right, it will be done with real cheerfulness and goodwill.

There is one more trial which I will mention the feeling of not being able to earn one’s own livelihood. If a person has honestly supported himself and his family during a long life, he does not like to feel that he must be beholden to others in his latter days. Perhaps this is the case with you. Perhaps you laid aside some money in younger days, and looked forward to maintaining yourself in old age. But you lent your money to a friend, and he has made off with it; or you had a long illness, and all your savings were spent during that time; and now you are forced to depend on the kindness of friends, or church support.

Well, if such be the case, you have no cause to blame yourself, and there is no disgrace whatever in being financially dependent on others. Instead of feeling such, you may well be thankful that there are ways in which you can be helped in the hour of your need. Look upon those who assist you as sent by your heavenly Father. He graciously provides means for sup­plying your necessities. He raises you up friends; He puts it into their hearts to help you. He is the great Fountain from whence all your blessings flow.

Receive then every gift as from God. Acknowledge His hand in it, and depend on Him from day to day for all you need. I believe that, if we thus trust God, we shall never be disap­pointed. We may sometimes be driven hard. There may be but a little meal in our barrel, and but a few drops of oil in our cruse; but let us remember that word which comforted Abraham of old — “Jehovah-jireh,” The Lord will provide. He who feeds the ravens will feed you. He cares for His people, and will never let them lack. “I have been young,” said David, “and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Ps. 37:25).

I have mentioned some of your trials. And I dare say there are many more, many which the world knows nothing about, and which none will ever know but yourself. But however thick they fall around you, and however heavily they press upon you, you have only to carry them to God and He will lighten your load and make it easy to bear. Here is your remedy, and a promise with it: “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee” (Ps. 55:22). He will not only carry your burdens, but He will carry you. He who has so often laid you as a lamb in His bosom will carry you now that you are old. He will never turn away from you, but rejoice over you and do you good. He will be with you amid all your infirmities. He will not only bring you to Jordan, but will carry you over it, and conduct you safely into the Promised Land.

And then, too, remember that your trials are good for you. If we had none, we should be like bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke; we should have our own way too much, and never learn submission to our Father’s will. Our Lord suffered, and shall not we? It was His daily portion when on earth; let us not wish to escape it.

As it is, we are tied and bound to this world far too much. We love it too well. How would it be if we met with no trials here? We should be still less disposed than we are now to look for another resting place above.

Think, too, how light our trials are, compared with the Savior’s. His was a storm of suffering; ours but a few drops. And for how short a time do our troubles, even the severest of them, last! They are “but for a moment.” In eternity, how small they will seem to us, as we look back upon them! In heaven, we shall thank God for them, for we shall then see how necessary they were for us.

Cheer up then, my fellow-Christian. Bear these trials of yours patiently, meekly, and thankfully. Look on them as the sick man looks on the remedies which are sent to do him good. Look on them as the traveller looks on the rough rocks which serve as steps to bring him to his father’s house.

Turn your trials to good account. Let them not be hindrances to you, but helps, on your way to heaven. Ask God to change them into blessings, and to make them useful to you. Just as, when Noah was in the ark, every wave that swelled only bore him up higher and higher towards heaven, so may every trial raise your soul above the world, and bring you nearer and nearer to God!