The Life of Praise

Carrie Judd Montgomery was a prolific writer, an itinerant preacher and teacher, and traveled internationally throughout her life to share her story of divine healing and encourage people in their faith. Through her close friendship with A. B. Simpson, she eventually became a part of the forming of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Simpson continually encouraged and created space for her to step out and share her story.

The following is from her book The Life of Praise as quoted in  L. B. Cowman's devotional Streams in the Desert:

"True faith counts on God, and believes before it sees. Naturally, we want some evidence that our petition is granted before we believe; but when we walk by faith we need no other evidence than God's Word. He has spoken, and according to our faith it shall be done unto us. We shall see because we have believed, and this faith sustains us in the most trying places, when everything around us seems to contradict God's Word.

"The Psalmist says, 'I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living' (Ps. 27:13). He did not see as yet the Lord's answer to his prayers, but he believed to see; and this kept him from fainting.

"If we have the faith that believes to see, it will keep us from growing discouraged. We shall 'laugh at impossibilities,' we shall watch with delight to see how God is going to open up a path through the Red Sea when there is no human way out of our difficulty. It is just in such places of severe testing that our faith grows and strengthens.

"Have you been waiting upon God, dear troubled one, during long nights and weary days, and have feared that you were forgotten? Nay, lift up your head, and begin to praise Him even now for the deliverance which is on its way to you."