Not only those who suffer cruelly, like Christ, but all of us, however soft our circumstances to an outward eye, kick at the destiny to which we are tied, and wriggle on the nails of our easy crucifixion. “If only I were somewhere else – if I were untied from this difficult marriage – if I were released from this routine – if I could be freed from anxiety – if my health did not cramp my spirits – if only… then,” we say, nor merely, which is obvious, “I should be more comfortable,” but, “then I could begin to do something, instead of merely existing”; then, we may even dare to say, “then I could do something for God.” This is the great deception of the devil, to stop us loving, praying, working, now. It may be God’s will you should fight your way out of your misfortunes; it cannot be God’s will that you should make them a reason to put off living as a child of God.
Words by Austin Farrer
from Lord I believe
Image by Guijarro85
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
lucy 04.10.09 at 9:07 pm
“kick at the destiny to which we are tied, and wriggle on the nails of our easy crucifixion.” these words posted with that photo…wow! powerful stuff to consider.
& on a somewhat lighter note…remember skip wilson? “the devil made me do it!”
pam 04.10.09 at 9:32 pm
Perfect. I love the last line: “It may be God’s will you should fight your way out of your misfortunes; it cannot be God’s will that you should make them a reason to put off living as a child of God.”
Thank you.
Barney 04.11.09 at 8:16 am
That’s a powerful piece – especially the last lines. They convey important truth. Thanks for posting.
Tess 04.11.09 at 9:47 am
Thank you all for your comments. I couldn’t find words of my own for this post and was thumbing through an Easter anthology I’ve had for years. Happening upon Farrer’s words, I realised how often I am guilty of exactly this sort of putting off until a better time. One day, not today.
And Lucy, no, I don’t know who Skip Wilson is. Oh dear, a transatlantic cultural divide, I suspect! But I agree with the sentiment.