Keep a Quiet Heart 3

Thou art the Lord who slept upon a pillow
Thou art the Lord who soothed the furious sea,
What matter beating wind and tossing billow
If only we are in the boat with thee

Hold us in quiet through the age-long minute. While thou art silent, and the wind is shrill: can the boat sink while Thou dear Lord art in it? Can the heart faint that waiteth on Thy will? – Amy Carmichael

The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. – Psalm 16:5

Can we say that there are things which happen to us which do not belong to our lovingly assigned portions? Are some things then out of the control of the almighty?

As I accept the given portion other options are cancelled.

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. – Psalm. 27:4

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. – Philipians 3:13-14

A quiet heart is content with what God gives. It is enough. All is grace.

Shall I charge Him with a mistake in His measurements? Or with misjudging the sphere in which I can best learn to trust Him?

Keep A Quiet Heart 2

Six answers to the question What If:
1 Pet. 4:12-13
Rom. 5:3-4
2 Cor. 12:9
John 14:31
Rom. 8:17
Col. 1:24

The very pleasures of human life men aquire by difficulties – Augustine

Dificulty opens our eyes to pleaseures we had taken for granted.

Life is absurd -on the surface of things- but every bit of it is planned.

2 Cor. 4:15

Our true happiness is to be realized precisely through His refusals, which are always mercies .

Lord, give me a quiet heart
That does not ask to understand
But confident steps for word in
The darkness guided by Thy hand.

Prov. 25:2

All the past I believe is a part of God’s story…a mystery of love and sovereignty…

Be quiet, why this anxious heed
About thy tangled ways?
God knows them alll, He giveth speed,
And He allows delayes – EW

Heaven is not here, it’s There…God is forever luring us up and away from this one, wooing us to Himself and His still invisibly kingdom, where we will certainly find what we so keenly long for.

The worst pains we experience are not those of the suffering itself, but of our stubborn resistance to it, our resulute instetnce on our independence.

This quote stood out to me. It reminded me of my story. What is the worst thing that could happen? What if it does happen? Would you turn it into beauty and uniqueness???:

What we judge to be ‘tragic- the most dreaded thing that could happen’, I expect we’ll one day see as the awesome reason for the beauty and uniqueness of our life” Judy Squier

A Time For Quotes

I have been reading so many good books lately, and kept a quote journal, I have quite a few posts coming, of strictly quotes. Not to mention the articles these books have inspired. Starting off, Keep A Quiet Heart by Elizabeth Elliot.

If we reject this cross we will not find it in this world again. Here is the opportunity offered.

I’ve many a cross to take up now,
And many left begind;
But present troubles move me not,
Nor shake my quiet mind.
And what may be tomorrow’s cross
I never seek to find;
My Father says, “Leave that to me,
And keep a quiet mind”

Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me now.

God chains the dog till night,
will thou loose the chain
And wake thy sorry?
Wilt thou forestall it: and now grieve tomorrow:
and then again
Grieve over freshly all thy pain?

Either grief will not come, of if it must, do not forecast. And while it cometh, it is almost past. Away distrust; My God has promised, He is just” – George Herbert, “The Discharge”

And only Heaven is better than to walk with Christ at midnight, over moonless seas.” – Amy Carmichael

Trouble may help to incline us – that is it may tip us over, put some pressure on us, lean us in the right direction.

If through losing what this word prizes we are enabled to gain what it despises – treasures in Heaven, invisible and incorruptible – isn’t it worth any kind of sufferring?