In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never

“In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.” Thus declared Robert E. Lee, a soldier tested by war, sorrow, and defeat. His words carry the cadence of the ancients, for he speaks of a refuge that does not falter when the world collapses. In moments of perplexity, when the mind is clouded and the path uncertain, and in hours of distress, when the heart is crushed and courage falters, he turned to Scripture and found within its pages a flame to guide and a fortress to sustain.

The ancients, though they did not all know the Bible, knew this principle well: that in times of chaos, one must seek not merely human counsel, but wisdom anchored beyond the storms of life. The Psalms declare, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” So too Lee, walking through the shadows of defeat and personal trial, found that every page offered not only comfort but also strength—a summons to endure, to hope, and to rise again when all seemed lost.

Consider Lee’s own life. After the Civil War, he bore the weight of failure and the collapse of the world he had known. Many expected him to sink into bitterness or despair. Yet he became instead a teacher, a man of humility, urging reconciliation and dignity. What sustained him in those years was the conviction that Scripture gave him: that even in ruin, there is a higher order, that suffering is not the end, and that one’s duty remains to live uprightly before God. His reliance on the Bible was not for fleeting comfort but for a steady source of endurance.

History shows many such lives. Abraham Lincoln, though often silent on matters of doctrine, reached for the Bible during the nation’s darkest hours. In it, he found the courage to persevere through a war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. He drew upon its words to frame his calls for unity and mercy, shaping a vision that reached beyond politics into the eternal. For both Lee and Lincoln, though on opposite sides of history, the Bible was a wellspring of light and strength in the tempest.

O children of tomorrow, hear this: when you walk through perplexity, when your path is clouded and every turn seems dark, seek the wisdom that endures. Human voices will falter, the world will confuse, but the eternal words carved into Scripture will shine. When distress crushes you, do not flee from it empty, but turn to the pages where countless generations have found courage. The Bible is not a relic of the past; it is a living flame for those willing to seek its fire.

The lesson is plain: no life escapes perplexities or distresses. All will taste sorrow, all will face confusion. Yet you need not walk alone. Practically, let each person do this: in daily life, carve out moments to open the pages of wisdom—whether in the morning to prepare your soul for battle, or at night to calm the restless heart. In times of hardship, turn not to despair but to the words that have carried nations, families, and individuals through countless storms.

Thus remember Lee’s confession: “In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.” Let it be for you what it was for him: a compass when the way is hidden, a lamp when the night is long, and a shield when the burden is heavy. For though men may fail and kingdoms may fall, the word of God remains, unbroken, offering strength to those who seek it and light to those who walk in darkness.