I must be willing to give up anything and everything else for its
attainment. Otherwise the answer to the prayer would ruin me.
I cannot grasp the higher while using both hands to grasp the
lower.
Thus religion is the interpenetration and permeation of my
personality by that of God. And prayer is the communion by which
this permeation becomes possible. And faith is the vision of these
possibilities, the being persuaded by them, and the resolute purpose
to attain them. And faith in Christ is confiding communion with him
and obedience to his commands that his divine life may flow over
into me and dominate mine. And common-sense, and the more refined
common-sense which we call science, can show me no other means to
the attainment of that godlikeness which is the only true conformity
to environment.
And, holding such a belief and faith, we must be hopeful. And only
next in importance to faith and love stands hope. The hero must be
hopeful. And when times look dark about you, and they sometimes
will, you must still hope.
"O it is hard to work for God,
To rise and take his part
Upon the battle-field of earth,
And not sometimes lose heart!
"O there is less to try our faith
In our mysterious creed,
Than in the godless look of earth
In these our hours of need.
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