I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow

I asked the Lord that I might grow

In faith

and love

and ev­ery grace;

Might more of His sal­va­tion know

And seek

more ear­nest­ly

His face.

’Twas He who taught me thus to pray

And He

I trust

has an­swered pray­er!

But it has been in such a way

As al­most drove me to des­pair.

I hoped that in some fa­vored hour

At once He’d an­swer my re­quest;

And by His love’s con­strain­ing pow’r

Subdue my sins

and give me rest.

Instead of this

He made me feel

The hid­den ev­ils of my heart;

And let the an­gry pow­ers of hell

Assault my soul in ev­ery part.

Yea more

with His own hand He seemed

Intent to ag­gra­vate my woe;

Crossed all the fair de­signs I schemed

Blasted my gourds

and laid me low.

Lord

why is this

I trem­bling cried

Wilt thou pur­sue Thy worm to death?

’Tis in this way

the Lord re­plied

I ans­wer pray­er for grace and faith.

These in­ward tri­als I em­ploy

From self

and pride

to set thee free;

And break thy schemes of earth­ly joy

That thou may’st find thy all in Me.