Being and Doing – 10 December – Progress

STANDING still…   I mean being content with yourself;  content to struggle no more against the evil within you;  content with the poor victory you have already gained, and making no effort to lift yourself higher and higher, nearer and nearer to the patter of Christ.    This is a sin, and you may not plead that you have done much; for much is not enough if you could do more.    While there is left in you a trace of ill. temper, or of vanity, or of pride, or of selfishness; while there is left in you a single sin or germ of sin, you must not rest from the battle.   God does not require from you to be sinless when you come before Him, but He does require you to be unceasing in your perseverance.   He does not require that you shall never have fallen;  but He does require unwearied efforts. He does not require you to win, but He does require you to fight…   In return for the love which brought the Son of Man down from heaven, in return for the love which led Him to die for us upon the cross, we cannot give Him holy lives, for our lives are not holy;   we cannot give Him pure souls, for our souls are not pure;   but this one thing we can give, and this is what He asks, hearts that shall never cease, from this day forward till we reach the grave, to strive to be more like Him;  to come nearer to Him;  to root out from within us the sin that keeps us from Him.

Bishop TEMPLE

DO NOT stand still, even for a moment;  for to stand still in the way of holiness and perfection is, not to take breath or courage, but, to fall back and become weaker than before.

SCUPOLI

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These quotes are from ‘Being and Doing’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1908 for members of the Being and Doing Guild whose object is to do all they can for the relief of suffering and misery.

Most of the writers are 19th Century Christians from Britain and Europe who were committed to living their faith through deeds as well as words – Being AND Doing.

For many years these words have kept me company and encouraged me on the journey of faith.  I hope they will encourage others also.