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By Grace You Can Reach Christ’s Ideal, December 13
For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest
you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
Isaiah 30:15
, NKJV.
The Lord will recognize every effort you make to reach His ideal for you. When
you make a failure, when you are betrayed into sin, do not feel that you cannot pray,
that you are not worthy to come before the Lord. “My little children, these things
write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” With outstretched arms He waits to welcome
the prodigal. Go to Him, and tell Him about your mistakes and failures. Ask Him
to strengthen you for fresh endeavor. He will never disappoint you, never abuse
your confidence.
Trial will come to you. Thus the Lord polishes the roughness from your
character. Do not murmur. You make the trial harder by repining. Honor God by
cheerful submission. Patiently endure the pressure. Even though a wrong is done
you, keep the love of God in the heart....
Christ knows the strength of your temptations and the strength of your power
to resist. His hand is always stretched out in pitying tenderness to every suffering
child. To the tempted, discouraged one He says, Child for whom I suffered and
died, cannot you trust Me? “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” ...
Words cannot describe the peace and joy possessed by those who take God at
His word. Trials do not disturb them, slights do not vex them. Self is crucified.
Day by day their duties may become more taxing, their temptations stronger, their
trials more severe; but they do not falter; for they receive strength equal to their
need.—
Youth’s Instructor,June 26, 1902
.
Christ has given us no assurance that to attain perfection of character is an
easy matter. A noble all-around character is not inherited. It does not come to us
by accident. A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits
and grace of Christ. God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the
character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must
be waged against hereditary tendencies. We shall have to criticize ourselves closely,
and allow not one unfavorable trait to remain uncorrected.
Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this
decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life. The impossibility lies
in your own will. If you will not, then you cannot overcome. The real difficulty
arises from the corruption of an unsanctified heart, and an unwillingness to submit
to the control of God.—
Christ’s Object Lessons, 331
.
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