Rejoice Always
December 17.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
GALATIANS 5, verses 22 and 23.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples.
JOHN 15, verse 8.
O Breath from out the Eternal Silence! blow
Softly upon our spirits' barren ground;
The precious fulness of our God bestow,
That fruits of faith, love, reverence may abound.
G. TERSTEEGEN.
Is it possible we should be ignorant whether
we feel tempers contrary to love or no?
whether we rejoice always, or are burdened
and bowed down with sorrow?
whether we have a praying, or a dead, lifeless spirit?
whether we can praise God, and be resigned in all trials,
or feel murmurings, fretfulness, and impatience under them?
is it not easy to know if we feel anger at provocations,
or whether we feel our tempers mild, gentle,
peaceable, and easy to be entreated, or feel stubbornness,
self-will, and pride?
whether we have slavish fears, or are possessed
of that perfect love which casteth out all fear that hath torment?
HESTER ANN ROGERS.
____________________________________________
Roland's Comment
Paul tells us over and over again to give thanks, to pray with thanksgiving, and to rejoice always. It is only recently that I have finally understood that feeling sorry for ourselves very often subtly supports pride. Likewise, not being grateful or thinking that life owes us something is also a thing of pride. Therefore I watch for little impatiences, complaints and judgments toward others. When I observe any of them, I stand back and watch. If I try to change myself, it is also a thing of pride. But if I observe error and don't like what I see about myself, but at the same time realize I cannot change myself, this attitude is a silent cry to God. Thereby I learn to call upon Him.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
GALATIANS 5, verses 22 and 23.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples.
JOHN 15, verse 8.
O Breath from out the Eternal Silence! blow
Softly upon our spirits' barren ground;
The precious fulness of our God bestow,
That fruits of faith, love, reverence may abound.
G. TERSTEEGEN.
Is it possible we should be ignorant whether
we feel tempers contrary to love or no?
whether we rejoice always, or are burdened
and bowed down with sorrow?
whether we have a praying, or a dead, lifeless spirit?
whether we can praise God, and be resigned in all trials,
or feel murmurings, fretfulness, and impatience under them?
is it not easy to know if we feel anger at provocations,
or whether we feel our tempers mild, gentle,
peaceable, and easy to be entreated, or feel stubbornness,
self-will, and pride?
whether we have slavish fears, or are possessed
of that perfect love which casteth out all fear that hath torment?
HESTER ANN ROGERS.
____________________________________________
Roland's Comment
Paul tells us over and over again to give thanks, to pray with thanksgiving, and to rejoice always. It is only recently that I have finally understood that feeling sorry for ourselves very often subtly supports pride. Likewise, not being grateful or thinking that life owes us something is also a thing of pride. Therefore I watch for little impatiences, complaints and judgments toward others. When I observe any of them, I stand back and watch. If I try to change myself, it is also a thing of pride. But if I observe error and don't like what I see about myself, but at the same time realize I cannot change myself, this attitude is a silent cry to God. Thereby I learn to call upon Him.
