| The Secrets of a Beautiful Life |
Chapter 6 |
Page 5 |
Sometimes it is poor health that appears to make it impossible for one to live grandly, at least to do much in the world. But this is not an insuperable barrier. Many people who have been invalids all their life have grown into rare sweetness of spirit, and have lived in the world in a way to make it better, and to leave influences of blessing behind them when they went away. Many a “shut in “ has made a narrow room and a chamber of pain the center of a heavenly life, whose benedictions have gone far and wide. At least, there is no condition of health in which one cannot live victoriously in one’s spirit, if not physically. One can be brave, cheerful, accepting one’s limitations, praising God in sickness and in pain, sure always that what God wills is best, and that he who sings his little song of joy and praise in his prison is pleasing God and blessing the world.
“Let sunshine and gladness illumine thy face;
‘Twill help some one else to ‘keep sweet.’
Do troubles oppress thee? Let God be thy stay;
‘Tis easy to sigh, but ‘tis better to pray;
Thy sunshine will come in his own blessed way:
So trustingly try to ‘keep sweet.’”
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