For those who say
they can mend, are apt to say: "I can mend; and therefore I shall
mend when I choose, and no sooner." But those who really feel they
cannot mend--those who are really weary and worn out with the burden
of their sins--those who are really tired out with their own
wilfulness, and feel ready to lie down and die, like a spent horse,
and say: "God, take me away, no matter to what place; I am not fit
to live here on earth, a shame and a torment to myself day and
night"--those who are in that state of mind, are very near--very near
finding out glorious news.
Those who cannot mend themselves and know it, God will mend. God
will mend your lives for you. He knows as well as you what you have
to struggle against; ay, a thousand times better. He knows--what
does He not know? Pray to Him, and try what He does not know. Cry
to Him to rid you of your bad companions; He will find a way of doing
it. Cry to Him to bring you out of the temptations you feel too
strong for you; He will find a way for doing it. Cry to Him to teach
you what you ought to do, and He will send someone, and that the
right person, doubt it not, to teach you in His own good time. Above
all, cry and pray to Him to conquer the pride, and self-conceit, and
wilfulness in your heart; to take the hard proud heart of stone out
of you, and give you instead a heart of flesh, loving, and tender,
and kindly to every human creature; and He will do it.
Pages:
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419