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  DO NOT DESPAIR
  by Mary Wilder Tileston
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Summary: The sermon encourages believers to maintain hope and perform
their duties faithfully, even in times of despair.

Topics: "Spiritual Hope", "Faithfulness"
Scripture References: Psalm 43:5

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DESCRIPTION
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Mary Wilder Tileston preaches about the importance of maintaining hope
in God, even when feeling down or disquieted, as He is the source of our
strength and joy. She emphasizes the significance of having a devout
will over devout feelings, highlighting the need to diligently perform
our duties with the intention of pleasing God and showing our love for
Him. Tileston encourages not to be discouraged by moments of spiritual
dryness, as long as we remain faithful to God and His will, viewing it
as a trial rather than a betrayal.

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CONTENT
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Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? and why art thou disquieted within
me? hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my
countenance, and my God.

PSALMS 43: 5

IN prayer we own Thee, Father, at our side,

Not always feel or taste Thee; and, 't is well,

So, hour by hour, courageous faith is tried,

So, gladlier will the morn all mists dispel.

JOHN KEBLE

SOMETIMES we are disturbed because we have no devout feelings; but what
we want is a devout will. We cannot always control the imagination, but
we can always do that which is our duty carefully and patiently, with a
view to pleasing God, and proving our love to Him. We may feel cold and
mechanical, but we cannot fulfil our appointed duty without an exercise
of the will, and therefore all duties diligently performed testify a
desire to love, and prove our love.

H. L. SIDNEY LEAR

WE must not allow ourselves to be cast down, nor to despair, because our
hearts seem colder at one time than another. The test of the cold heart
is the yielding to sin, and, if we are clinging to Him, and to His will,
we may be quite sure that what we take for coldness of heart is a trial,
not a treason.

FREDERICK TEMPLE

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/mary-wilder-tileston/do-not-despair/
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