Balance in the Life
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however contrary it may be to our own nature, our own selfish desires
and inclinations. Like Christ is the watchword, not like your father or
your mother, but like Jesus Christ—hid in Christ, clothed with Christ’s
righteousness, imbued with the Spirit of Christ.
All the peculiarities given us as an inheritance or acquired by indul-
gence or through erroneous education must be thoroughly overcome,
decidedly resisted. Love of esteem and pride of opinion, all must
be brought to the sacrifice. They must be overcome. There is no
compromise to be made with the enemy of righteousness.
The conflict will be hard and wearisome, but Jesus is our helper; in
Him and through Him we must conquer, however severe the process.
God requires no less of you than this. Every one of His children must
be like Christ, who lived not to please Himself. Symmetry of character
we must have in order to stand before the Son of man. The grace of
God is waiting your demand upon it. If you ask Him, He will give you
grace and strength as you need it.
That which you term sensitiveness is pride that will not bear con-
tradiction. Self must be disciplined, guarded, and controlled. The most
becoming dignity you can possess is the Christian self-control that
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will endure provocation. The religion of Christ will bind and restrain
every unholy passion, will stimulate to energy, to self-discipline and
industry even in the matters of homely, everyday life, leading us to
learn economy, tact, self-denial, and to endure even privation with-
out a murmur. The Spirit of Christ in the heart will be revealed in
the character, will develop noble qualities and powers. “My grace is
sufficient,” says Christ.
Your wishes, your will, will be often crossed, but you should not
be discouraged. Jesus loves you and He wants you to be happy even
in this life and to be a light in the world. I wish you could see, and
our people could see, what they may be and what they may become.
God will work with your efforts. Tests will come to us daily in trials
and disappointments, and the true character is developed. Those who
cannot endure the vexations and crosses of life will utterly fail when
the sterner trials shall open upon them. Jesus wants you to be happy,
but you cannot be happy in having your own way and following the
impulse of your own heart.