Thursday, February 11, 2010

Troubles

Artist: Gustave Courbet

I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the year to a great bundle of sticks, far too large for us to lift. But God does not require us to carry the whole at once. He mercifully unties the bundle, and gives us first one stick, which we are to carry today, and then another, which we are to carry tomorrow, and so on. This we might easily manage, if we would only take the burden appointed for us each day; but we choose to increase our troubles by carrying yesterday's stick over again today, and adding tomorrow's burden to our load, before we are required to bear it.

-- John Newton

2 comments:

  1. Oh, I'm so glad you liked this, Roberta. I did too. It's a very compelling image, isn't it? (The idea of carrying ONE stick at a time...)

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