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Don’t Starve Your Soul!, October 1
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the
lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh
unfruitful.
Mark 4:19
.
We must beware that we do not become overburdened even with
what seem the necessary cares of life, so that we are unable to do the
most essential work.... The largest share of the thoughts and the busy
activities that engage hands and hearts, are given to selfish, personal,
earthly interests. These are allowed to become so engrossing as to prevent
attention to the things of eternity. The soul is left to starve for want of
nourishment. Mind and body become worn out by protracted hours of
application to worldly things. This is just as Satan designed it should be.
All the freshness and vigor of the mind, all the keen thought, is given
to the world, and God has the feeble, distracted thought, the fruit of a
wearied and worried mind. The things of the highest consequence, which
pertain to the eternal peace, are made subordinate to the common concerns
of life, and God is robbed every day of service which would strengthen
spirituality, lifting the thoughts heavenward, and bringing the soul into
communion with God and holy angels.
We are not to allow the things of this world so to absorb the attention
that mind and body are completely engrossed. Thus those around us are
robbed of the kindly words and deeds that would help them in the upward
way. The channel of light is clogged with worldly matters. The grace
that Christ is longing to impart, He cannot bestow. Many are coming to
have less and less strength to impart to others, because they do not receive
power from the Source of all power. God calls upon them to separate from
the things which corrode the mind and spoil the religious experience.
All are pressed with urgent cares, burdens, and duties; but the greater
the pressure upon you, the heavier the burdens you have to bear, the
greater your need of divine aid. Jesus will be your helper. You need
constantly the light of life of lighten your pathway, and then its divine
rays will reflect upon others.
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