June 29

"In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."—Philippians 4:6 (R.V.).

I SHOULD be careful for nothing. It is true that I am to exercise my mind calmly and judiciously with reference both to my temporal affairs and to my spiritual prosperity. There is abundant room for my planning, my prudence, my industry, my zeal. But whatever goes beyond these is sin. I permit myself to be shaken with vague uncertainties and ceaseless alarms. For to-day and to-morrow and the time to come I will learn to trust God more. I will lean on my Beloved.

I should be prayerful for everything. Prayer counteracts the manifold dangers in which I live, summoning spiritual allies from unseen worlds. Prayer corrects the feverish restlessness of my heart, bringing me into God's atmosphere of calm. Prayer enables me to continue steadfastly in well-doing, giving me back old energy. Prayer endues me with marvellous influence over others, opening not only the door of the Celestial City but the door of human hearts, and my King comes in.

I should be thankful for anything. For the persecution and the prison. For famine and nakedness and peril and sword. For gloom and difficulty and hindrance and trouble, as well as for pleasantness and triumph and joy. Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope—the hope which maketh not ashamed. All is right which seems most wrong, if it be His sweet will. John Foster said of genius that it has the power of lighting its own fire, and so has gratitude; let me kindle the flame.

And this is the life which is life indeed.