Have you wondered where the often quoted phrase, “God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform,” comes from? Credit goes to William Cowper (pronounced Cooper), English poet and hymn writer (1735-1800).
Cowper experienced severe depression for most of his life. There were several contributing factors. By age six, his mother and four siblings had died. Consequently, he was sent to a boarding school, where he was mercilessly bullied.
As a young man, William faced another major trauma. He was in love with his first cousin, Theodora. But her father harshly ended the relationship, saying that it was improper for close relatives to be married.
His father, a minister and chaplain to King George II, forced William to study law. He collapsed under the pressure. Moving from depression into total despair, he planned, intentionally and aggressively, to end his life.
William tried to poison himself with laudanum, but he became violently ill, regurgitated repeatedly and recovered.
He endeavored to die by falling on his knife ... but the knife broke and he survived.
He attempted hanging himself repeatedly. The third try was nearly successful. He slipped into unconsciousness, but the rope around his neck broke and he fell to the floor ... injured, but still alive.
Finally, William turned to the Lord for help. In Romans 3:25, he read, “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past.”
Cowper was amazed at what he read and declared, “Immediately, I received the strength to believe ... the full beams of the Sun of Righteousness shone upon me ... In a moment, I believed, and received the gospel ... My eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with transport; I could only look up to heaven in silent fear, overwhelmed with love and wonder.”
But I left out one of his suicide attempts. Intending to drown himself, Cowper hired a cab to take him to the Thames River. However, the fog became so dense that the driver couldn’t find the river ... so he returned him to his house. Cowper immediately wrote a poem thanking God for the fog, which had prohibited him from attempting suicide.
“God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps on the sea, And rides upon the storm. Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan His works in vain; God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.”
Pastor Ross Helgeton is senior pastor at Erskine Evangelical Free Church.