Heart-Keeping and House-Keeping
By Theodore L. Cuyler
HEART-KEEPING is much like house-keeping. There must be continual sweeping out of dirt and cleaning out of rubbish, a daily washing of dishes, and a perpetual battle with all sorts of vermin. If the heart-cleaning could be done once for all, then the Christian might discharge all his graces and have an easy time of it. And just because the assaults of subtle temptations are so constant, and the uprisings of sinful passions are so frequent, and the task of keeping the inward man what it ought to be is so difficult, many a one who begins a religious life gets discouraged and makes a wretched failure. The question with every Christian is: Shall the accursed Amalekites of temptation burn up all my spiritual possessions and overrun my soul? Shall outward assaults or inward weakness drive me to discouragement, and disgrace me before my Master and before the world? Or shall they drive me to Jesus Christ, who will give me the victory?—Theodore L. Cuyler.