| The Secrets of a Beautiful Life |
Chapter 5 |
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The real agony of Christ’s atoning death was in Gethsemane, and not on Calvary. It was there he fought the battle and won the victory. After this there was no more struggle. It is worth our while to look closely into our Lord’s experiences in the Garden, to learn the secrets of the victory he won there. It will be ours some time to face a sore struggle, a bitter disappointment, a great trial, a keen sorrow, or to take up a heavy cross. How can we prepare ourselves for the experience, so as to meet it victoriously?
The Mexicans whisper over the cradle of a new-born babe, “Child, thou art born to suffer; endure and hold thy peace! Courage in meeting trial is good. We should learn to take up our burden quietly and walk beneath it steadfastly. We should learn to endure and hold our peace. There are men who do this, hardening themselves against pain and sorrow, and meeting life’s misfortunes and trials stoically, with solemn firmness. But this is not the best way to meet life. It was not thus that our Lord met his trials. He did not go to his cross stoically. True, he set himself to endure and hold his peace. Never, before or since, has anguish been borne so victoriously, or has the world seen such peace as filled the Redeemer’s soul during all the hours of his deepest humiliation. But his was not the peace of stoical hardening; it was the peace of God which kept his heart and mind.
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