George Whitefield was used mightily by the Lord as an Evangelist. He is one of my all time favorite “dead guys.” Like Spurgeon (another of my favorites) he seemingly suffered with depression from time to time and on one of his seven trips from Britain to America, Whitefield was battling both depression and feelings of failure. He came through this ordeal by meditating on God’s love in Jesus Christ.

Nothing could possibly support my soul under the many agonies which oppressed me when on board, but a consideration of the freeness, eternity and unchangeableness of God’s love to me.

I need not fear the sight of sin when I have a perfect, everlasting righteousness wrought out for me by Jesus Christ. The riches of His free grace cause me daily to triumph over all the temptations of the wicked one…

May he enlighten me more and more to know and feel the mystery of his electing, soul-transforming love. Nothing like that, to support us under present and all the various future trials… But the Lord has apprehended us and will not let us go. Men and devils may do their worst; our Jesus will allow nothing to pluck us out of His Almighty hands.

– quoted in Arnold Dallimore, George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the 18th Century Revival (2 vols; Banner of Truth, 1970, 1980), 1:407

HT: Dane Ortlund