In Your Patience Possess Ye Your Souls.
By M. Paul
This is an inspired direction, given because it is needed. No Christian can be innocently fretful. Not even a natural disposition can be an excuse for it. It engenders anger, malice, strife, and every evil work. We who are believers in the third angel's message, and are striving to keep all the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and are looking for the soon coming of our blessed Lord, I say we cannot indulge in fretfulness without committing a great sin. And we must mourn the hidings of the divine countenance, must lament in bitterness so great a folly, or soon be numbered with apostates. It is no doubt a greater harm to speak complainingly and censoriously, than to have the feeling and suppress it; for if we indulge in such language even to our dearest friends, it will start suspicion in relation to our profession, and much more will the sacred cause be wounded in the presence of enemies or of those who look with doubt upon the doctrine we are advancing. But have we not sometimes thought that the feeling of impatience, if it be suppressed is wholly innocent. Then let us beware; for here is the snare of the Devil. When we have the evidence of the divine acceptance, and feel assured that our names are written in the Lamb's book of Life, and when we can draw nourishment from Christ, the living vine, then the petty annoyances of life will not affect us. We can endure the most unreasonable provocations from friends or enemies in perfect calmness. We can make the very sweetness of our temper and the gentleness of our manner a powerful rebuke to sin, and a palliative to the misfortunes of those around us. But if we are conscious of something more than inward sorrow for the wrongs that others inflict upon us, of something different from the purest love to those who annoy us; if we feel to annoy them in return to resent our injuries, though we do not utter a complaining word, we may be sure something is wrong. It is the heart, the inner man, upon which the eye of God is fixed. True the connection between the feelings and the words, the thoughts and the actions, is so close that they are not easily separated. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh; and he that offendeth not in word nor in tongue, the same is a perfect man. We will therefore not long retain the feelings of resentment which the enemy has inspired within our own breast. Our very countenance, movements, tones of voice, and finally our words, will show that we are inwardly wrong. Oh, the calmness of love, the sweetness and power of purity! But this heavenly grace cannot be left to itself. In this world of sin it must be severely tried. The rashness of friends and the virulence of foes will attack it. The want of harmony around us will powerfully tend to unsettle the harmony within. Worn and exhausted vital energies will expose it. Enfeebled and irritable nerves will surely try it. Through all these and a thousand nameless ills, the tempter will assail a meek and quiet spirit. But if we keep our oneness with Christ—if in all this we have no other will than the will of God—the temptation will fail. We may be conscious of inward pain, but not of resentment; of inward grief, but not of anger; of the strongest disapprobation, but not of ill will. But if love, deep melting love, pervades our souls, we can endure the keenest suffering and the severest provocation. It will illuminate the countenance, sweeten the temper, soften the words, and throw a charm over the most trying scenes of our life. Dear brethren and sisters, let us be faithful and try to exercise patience a little longer. He that shall come, will come and will not tarry.