| Strength and Beauty |
Chapter 9 |
Page 2 |
Cares are thorns or weeds. Cares are worries, anxieties, and distractions. They seem to grow as naturally in a heart as weeds do in a garden, or thorns in a field. Some people think worries are quite harmless. They never think of them as sins. But Jesus spoke very strongly against anxiety. He said we should never worry. It does no good. It grieves our Father for it shows distrust of his love and goodness. It is following the example of the heathen, who do not know of the Father’s love for his children. Then here Jesus says worries choke out the good which he is seeking to get to grow in us.
We should guard against worry just as we guard against any and every sinful thing. We should pick it out whenever it shows its head, just as the good gardener watches for weeds and takes out every one that comes up. We have an illustration of the danger of worry in the story of Martha. There were many good things growing in her life, but they were all well-nigh choked out by the anxiety that she allowed to grow up in her heart. Many other people have the same danger. Life’s anxieties crowd out the beautiful thins which start in their hearts, and which will grow only in a free and clean soil. Worry is thus a most harmful habit. We should weed it out of our life and let God’s peace possess us. If we do not it will sorely crowd out and choke to death the good things growing in us. Then there really is no need of anxiety. If we will be true to God and trust him he will keep us always in perfect peace.
“Let nothing make thee sad or fretful,
Or too regretful–
Be still!
What God hath ordered must be right;
Then find it in thine own delight,
My will.
“Why shouldst thou fill today with sorrow
About tomorrow,
My heart?
One watches all with care most true;
Doubt not that he will give thee, too,
Thy part.
“Only be steadfast, never waver,
Nor seek earth’s favor,
But rest!
Thou knowest that God’s will must be
For all his creatures–so for thee–
The best.”
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