Now, what is it that wakes up the heart from this spiritual lethargy? What makes men in earnest about life, in love with God and Christ, in sympathy with the Father's glorious plan revealed in the covenants? Is it worldly prosperity? Is it "good company"? Is it honour among men? Is it indulgence in pleasure? Is it the reading of novels? Is it the steeping the senses in strong drink or the fumes of the narcotic weed? Is it even Scripture polemics such as some people love to indulge in, or the endless, resultless, investigating word-strife, which men are prone to dignify by high-sounding descriptions, but which are far more accurately defined in Paul's well known pithy words, wherein he alleges of certain things that they are "of no profit," but "subverting" to "the hearers?"-- No: there is but one answer to all these questions. Godliness is not found in the state of mind fostered by any or all of these influences. Godliness comes from trouble where the knowledge of God exists for the trouble to act on. There is nothing like trouble for clearing the spiritual eye. There is nothing like trouble for weakening all carnal affinities, and leading the mind to seek God, and to rest on His Word, and to build on His promises.
By Robert Roberts