It is
blessed and glorious to be a Christian. No other life is
so beautiful and pure; no other life is so tranquilly
peaceful; no other is so full of rest, happiness, and
satisfaction. The Christian, however, does not go to
heaven on flowery beds of ease. His pathway is not strewn
with roses all the way; there is now and then a thorn. It
is not sunshine all the time; now and then a shadow falls.
To win heaven he must fight. There are some things to
oppose a Christian on his pilgrimage to the skies, these
he must contend against. The contending against those
things prepares him for his blissful home above.
"All things work together for
good to them that love God." Heaven's blessings and
hell's venom, angels' smiles and Satan's frowns, comforts
of grace and spiritual wickedness, good and ill, love and
hatred, all work good to those who have union with God. It
is the battle that disciplines and makes strong and brave
the warrior, and not the victory. We are exhorted to
"endure hardness as a good soldier." There are
some things to endure along the Christian way. James says,
"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation."
Temptations are outward influences acting upon our natural
emotions and passions to induce the will to act contrary
to the law of grace to satisfy self. We need not expect to
be free from temptations; therefore let us settle it that
we will endure them. It is really a blessed thing to
endure them. You may think it would be a blessed thing to
be free from them, but such would not be the case. It is
more blessed to endure them. Temptations will never cease
to attack the soul as long as it inhabits this "muddy
vesture of decay." Be brave, O soul, and endure
temptations. Be brave and fight the good fight of faith.
Do not faint because you have temptations. Do not fear
because there are long and fierce battles to fight. Be
strong and of good courage. It is a life-long struggle,
and it is also a life-long victory, and in the end eternal
victory. Strong and well-developed spiritual sinews are
the result of resisted temptations.
It is not sinful to be tempted. We
never lose any spirituality by being tempted. It is the
slight yieldings that cause a leaking, a loss of grace.
Clear up the vision of your faith a little and take a look
at your beautiful glittering crown of life. It is not
gold, neither crystal. Do not look at it as such, but see
it a crown of life. Yes, you will be crowned with eternal
life if you will but endure temptation. Think of this in
the hour of thy sore trial. Fight on; heaven awaits to
reward you.
