True power develops in an atmosphere of stillness, while energy is dissipated by chatter and fuss.
"God," said the saintly Terstegen, "is the Spirit who dwells in the eternal stillness," and certainly
all the constructive forces of creative energy in the universe are silent forces. The work of God in
man is in this respect in harmony with the method He employs in His works around Him, whether
in the infinite or in the infinitesimal. Let us respect the majesty of the Divine silence uttering itself
in the rhythmic eloquence of the beauty and glory of the universe. We need to be baptized
constantly into this spirit of stillness in which the Divine dwells and operates. Besides
opportunities for this spiritual communion in meetings with others who seek the same nearness to
the heart of God without creative efforts, let us seek opportunities when we have a moment to
spare in the midst of the rush and tumult of a busy day, "by thronging duties pressed," to shut our
eyes, our lips, our sense--avenues to material sights and sounds and impressions, in order to open
our hearts to the fragrance and sweetness of the Holy Spirit of God.
(2) REJOICE EVERMORE
There is no medicine for the mind, and for that matter for the body also, like cheerfulness. And it is not only a medicine but also a most nourishing food. What sunshine is to the flowers, cheerfulness is to mind and body.
If we have found in God a retreat we have a good reason for being glad no matter what comes. If
we love God we truly live in the conviction that all things are working together for our good. A
man who has to do habitually with God has access to a perennial fountain of pure joy and
happiness. There is a great difference between pleasure and joy. The poor, misguided worldling
aims at the first, but the Christian has discovered the secret of the second. Pleasure has to be
laboriously pumped up but joy may be drunk down out of the exhaustless deeps of God. So no
matter how dark the cloud, look out for the silver lining. There is life in brightness, there is a
wonderful power in joy. If thou wouldst be a blessing to others be happy! Let thy inner ear listen
to the heavenly music and thy heart will want to dance in step with it.
(3) LOVE EVERYBODY
The greatest power in the world is love. The apostle brings up tribulation, anguish, peril, nakedness, sword, death, life, angels, principalities, powers, height, depth, things present and things to come, as a possible challenge to the love of God in Christ Jesus, but they are impotent in the presence of this omnipotent force. That is the love which is to be the constraining motive of our lives.
Christ loved us to teach us to love. And though true love will never remain a mere sentiment or an emotional feeling, but force us into many a lonely Gethsemane and painful Calvary for the good of others, after the example of the Lamb, it still remains true that every thought of love will put perfume into our lives and every act of love will strew roses over our path. There is no such thing as "wasted affection," as the poet Longfellow reminds us. "Its waters returning back to their fountain shall fill it full of refreshing. That which the fountain sends forth returns again to the fountain."
A sweet temper is worth more than a big bank account.
(4) HAVE FAITH IN GOD
Faith is taking the Divine viewpoint. No one who looks at things from the standpoint of the
Divine can ever take a pessimistic view of the world and its future. He is sure of the ultimate
victory of the Divine in the universe. He sees the slain Lamb in the midst of the throne on the top
of everything. Goal is never baffled, never beaten, never checkmated, never thwarted. "He
worketh all things according to the counsel of His own will." It was necessary to emphasize the
glorious truth of the Divine immanence, and to correct and broaden out thoughts cramped and
confined in narrow creeds ascribing arbitrariness to the Divine Being. But the pendulum has
swung too far in some quarters towards a conception of the universe which looks dangerously
like pantheism. What we need now is to restore the balance by reaffirming the Divine
transcendence: God on His throne as absolute Sovereign, governing the world according to
inflexible justice and yet in infinite pity and tenderness towards weary and sin sick man who has
lost his way amidst the mazes of his own imaginations. Let us have faith in God, He is absolutely
trustworthy, the Rock higher than our sins, higher than our sorrows, higher than our mistakes.
Have faith in God concerning other people, yea, an abundant faith! "All things are possible to him
that believeth," for faith liberates Divine forces of good--healing, redeeming forces--in the world.
By faith we are permitted to cooperate with Divine love and power in its redemptive purposes for
mankind.
(5) LIVE IN THE UPPER STORY
Think of the beautiful, the true, the lovely, the virtuous, the pure, the noble, the holy, the elevating. Business may take thee into the cellar sometimes, but don't stay there, but get out of it as quickly as possible, and the God of peace will choose thee as His companion. (Phil. 4:8-9) Thoughts are things. Each thought produces a certain definite effect. Every thought has a chemical effect on the body. Anger, hatred, envy, act like poison on the one who cherishes such thoughts. Grief has often changed the color of the hair over night. Worry ossifies certain parts of the skin and takes away nourishing properties from food. All that is beautiful in the world is the expression of the creative thoughts of God. "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me?" exclaimed the psalmist. By thinking the thoughts of God after Him he came to experience their preciousness, and thus came into communion with the beautiful, the Divinely good in the universe. He discovered the secret of the blessed life. To "walk in the Spirit" to which we are exhorted, is nothing else on its practical side than to think the thoughts of God after Him. "The minding of the flesh is death, but the minding of the Spirit is life and peace." The Spirit as a light within first enables us to distinguish between thoughts and thoughts, to hate and renounce those which spring from the dark principle of selfishness and evil desire. And as we come to love the thoughts of His own inspiration He will make them the dominant forces in our character, and little by little transform our lives into likeness to Him who has left us an example that we should follow His steps.