Annie Johnson Flint was born on Christmas Eve, in the year 1866, in the little town of Vineland, New Jersey. Her father was of English descent, and the mother was Scottish. Her first twenty years were of normal development, and as a Christian she trained to become a teacher. But after only two years of teaching she began to suffer from arthritis, which developed into a chronic condition from which she never recovered. The rest of her life was spent in a wheelchair. In order to obtain a meagre living she wrote poems which were published by magazines. Having an indomitable spirit she never succumbed to misery or wretchedness, but grew strong in spirit and the knowledge of her Lord. The following poem is one of the best of her collection of 81 that have been printed. It not only shows her own steadfast faith, but is a sermon on life for us all. She died in 1932.
(It doesn’t appear in most hymn books. I have written a tune for it which I could send on request.)
God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
