How To Live A Beautiful Christian Life # 2
And the same is true in spiritual life. God adapts His grace to the peculiarities of each one's necessity. For rough, flinty paths - He provides shoes of iron. He never sends any one to climb sharp, rugged mountainsides, wearing silken slippers. He always gives sufficient grace. As the burdens grow heavier - the strength increases. As the difficulties thicken - the angel draws closer. As the trials become sorer - the trusting heart grows calmer. Jesus always sees His disciples, when they are toiling in the waves - and at the right moment comes to deliver them. Thus it becomes possible to live a true and victorious life - in any circumstances. Christ can as easily enable Joseph to remain pure and true, in heathen Egypt - as Benjamin in the shelter of his father's love. The sharper the temptations, the more of divine grace is granted. There is therefore, no environment of trial, or difficulty or hardship - in which we cannot live beautiful lives of Christian fidelity and holy conduct.
Instead, then, of yielding to discouragement when trials multiply and it becomes hard to live right, or of being satisfied with a broken peace and a very faulty life - it should be the settled purpose of each one to live, through the grace of God - a patient, gentle and unspotted life - in the place and amid the circumstances He allots to us. The true victory is not found in escaping or evading trials - but in rightly meeting and enduring them. The questions should not be, "How can I get out of these worries? How can I get into a place where there shall be no irritations, nothing to try my temper or put my patience to the test? How can I avoid the distractions that continually harass me?" There is nothing noble in such living. The soldier who flies to the rear when he smells the battle is no hero; he is a coward.
The questions should rather be, "How can I pass through these trying experiences, and not fail as a Christian? How can I endure these struggles, and not suffer defeat? How can I live amid these provocations, these reproaches and testings of my temper, and yet live sweetly, not speaking unadvisedly, bearing injuries meekly, returning gentle answers to insulting words? This is the true problem of Christian living.
We are at school here. This life is disciplinary. Processes are not important: it is results we want. If a tree grow into majesty and strength, it matters not whether it is in the deep valley or on the cold peak, whether calm or storm nurtures it. If character develops into Christlike symmetry, what does it matter whether it be in ease and luxury - or through hardship? The important matter is not the process - but the result; not the means - but the end; and the end of all Christian nurture is spiritual loveliness. To be made truly noble and godlike - we should be willing to submit to any discipline.
Every obstacle to true living should, then, only nerve us with fresh determination to succeed. We should use each difficulty and hardship,as a leverage to gain some new advantage. We should compel our temptations to minister to us - instead of hindering us. We should regard all our provocations, annoyances and trials, of whatever sort - as practice lessons in the application of the theories of Christian life. It will be seen in the end - that the hardships and difficulties are by no means the smallest blessings of our lives. Someone compares them to the weights of a clock, without which there could be no steady, orderly life.
The tree that grows where tempests toss its boughs and bend its trunk, often almost to braking - is more firmly rooted than the tree which grows in the sequestered valley, where no storm ever brings stress or strain. The same is true in life. The grandest character is grown in hardship. Weakness of character, springs out of luxury. The best men the world ever reared - have been brought up in the school of adversity and hardship.
Besides, it is no heroism to live patiently - where there is no provocation, bravely where there is no danger, calmly where there is nothing to perturb. Not the hermit's cave - but the heart of busy life, tests, as well as makes character. If we can live patiently, lovingly and cheerfully, amid all our frets and irritations day after day, year after year, that is grander heroism than the farthest famed military exploits, for "he who rules his own spirit - is better than he who captures a city."
This is our allotted task. It is no easy one. It can be accomplished only by the most resolute decision, with unwavering purpose and incessant watchfulness.
Nor can it be accomplished without the continual help of Christ. Each one's battle must be a personal one. We may decline the struggle - but it will be declining also the joy of victory. No one can reach the summit - without climbing the steep mountain path. We cannot be born up on any strong shoulder. God does not put features of beauty into our lives - as the jeweler sets gems in clusters in a coronet. The unlovely elements are not magically removed and replaced by lovely ones. Each must win his way through struggles and efforts - to all noble attainments. The help of God is given only in cooperation with human aspiration and energy. While God works in us - we are to work out our own salvation. He who overcomes, shall be a pillar in the temple of God. We should accept the task with quiet joy. We shall fail many times.
Many a night we shall retire to weep at Christ's feet - over the day's defeat. In our efforts to follow the copy set for us by our Lord - we shall write many a crooked line, and leave many a blotted page blistered with tears of regret. Yet we must keep through all, a brave heart, an unfaltering purpose, and a calm, joyful confidence in God. Temporary defeat should only cause us to lean on Christ more fully. God is on the side of everyone who is loyally struggling to obey His divine will, and to grow into Christlikeness. And that means assured victory, to everyone whose heart fails not.
~J. R. Miller~
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