Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.–Col. 1:29
Reflecting on the hardships of our forefathers forces me to think about the importance of being willing to do the hard things–a rare trait today. Sadly the dreams of many are never translated into deeds. They are like Joseph II, of Austria, who left instructions for this epitaph to be inscribed on his tomb– ” Here lies a monarch who, with the best intentions, never carried out a single plan”.
J. R. Miller wrote,”There are too many people who try to shirk the hard things. They want to get along as easily as possible. They have ambition of a certain sort—but it is ambition to have the victory without the battle; to get the gold without digging for it. They would like to be learned and wise—but they do not care to toil in study, and “burn the midnight oil,” as they must do—if they would realize their desire. They wish to have plenty of money—but they hope to get it from some generous relative as an inheritance, or to have some wealthy person endow them. They have no thought of working hard year after year, toiling and saving as people have to do—to earn for themselves, with their own hands, the fortune of their dreams. They may have a certain longing to be noble and Christlike, with a character that will command respect and confidence—but they have not the spirit of self-denial and of earnest moral purpose, which alone can produce such a character.”
Then he added, “We should not forget, that no one ever did anything of great value in this world—without cost. A quaint old proverb says, “One cannot have an omelet—without breaking eggs!” If we would do anything really worth while, that will be a blessing in the world—we must put into it not merely easy efforts, languid sympathies, conventional good wishes, and courtesies that cost nothing. We must put into it thought, time, patience, self-denial, sleepless nights, exhausting toil.”
