Chapter 105—To Strengthen and Encourage
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians
4:13
.
The Lord has in readiness the most precious exhibitions of His grace to
strengthen and encourage the sincere, humble worker.
The disciples of Christ had a deep sense of their own inefficiency, and
with humiliation and prayer they joined their weakness to His strength, their
ignorance to His wisdom, their unworthiness to His righteousness, their
poverty to His exhaustless wealth. Thus strengthened and equipped, they
hesitated not to press forward in the service of the Master.
All that man has, God has given him, and he who improves his abilities
to God’s glory will be an instrument to do good; but we can no more live a
religious life without constant prayer and the performance of religious duties
than we can have physical strength without partaking of temporal food. We
must daily sit down at God’s table. We must receive strength from the living
Vine, if we are nourished....
I entreat you to move with an eye single to the glory of God. Let
His power be your dependence, His grace your strength. By study of the
Scriptures and earnest prayer seek to obtain clear conceptions of your duty,
and then faithfully perform it. It is essential that you cultivate faithfulness in
little things, and in so doing you will acquire habits of integrity in greater
responsibilities.... Every event of life is great for good or for evil. The mind
needs to be trained by daily tests, that it may acquire power to stand in any
difficult position. In the days of trial and of peril you will need to be fortified
to stand firmly for the right, independent of every opposing influence.
Jesus consents to bear our burdens only when we trust Him. He is saying:
“Come unto me, all ye weary and heavy laden; give Me your load; trust Me
to do the work that it is impossible for the human agent to do.” Let us trust
Him. Worry is blind and cannot discern the future. But Jesus sees the end
from the beginning, and in every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring
relief. Abiding in Christ, we can do all things through Him who strengthens
us.
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