DISCOURAGED by H. W. Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 17, 1880

DISCOURAGED.

By H. W. Smith

ONE of the most fatal things in the Christain life is discouragement. A very wise man said that in overcoming temptation, cheerfulness was the first thing, cheerfulness the second, and cheerfulness the third. We must expect to conquer. When our hearts are faint then temptation has power. Satan knows this well, and he always begins his assaults by discouraging us. I once heard an allegory that illustrated this to me wonderfully. Satan called together a council of his servants to consult how they might make a good man sin. One evil spirit sprang up and said,

"I will make him sin." "How will you do it?" asked Satan. "I will set before him all the pleasures of sin," was the reply. "I will tell him of its delights and the rich rewards it brings." "Ah," said Satan, "that will not do; he has tried it, and knows better than that."

Then another spirit started up and said, "I will make him sin." "What will you do?" asked Satan. "I will tell him of the pains and sorrows of virtue. I will show him that virtue has no delights, and brings no rewards."

"Ah, no!" exclaimed Satan, "that will not do at all; for he has tried it, and knows that wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."

"Well," said another imp, starting up, "I will undertake to make him sin." "And what will you do?" asked Satan. "I will discourage his soul!" was the short reply. "Ah, that will do! cried Satan. "That will do! We shall conquer him now!" and they did.

An old writer says, "All discouragement is from the devil." I wish every Christain would take this to heart, and never forget it. We must fly from discouragement as we would from sin.—H. W. S., in Words of Faith.