Resting always in His presence, like a little child, or even a beggar, who
knowing nothing is due to him, still asks, loves, and awaits, feeling sure
that hour by hour, in proportion to our need, GOD will provide all that is
needful, and even over and above what is absolutely necessary. Live
peacefully under the protection of Divine Providence; the more you feel
your insignificance, weakness, sickness, misery, the more right you have
to the pity and love of GOD.
Only _pray_ fervently; let your prayer be thoughtful and reverent, sweet
and full of hope. The poor have nothing left to them but _prayer_; but
that prayer, so humble, so pleading, ascends to GOD, and is listened to
with Fatherly love!
Do not have a number of varied prayers, but let the "Our FATHER" be ever
on your lips and in your heart.
Love to repeat to GOD the prayer that CHRIST Himself has taught, and for
His sake is always accepted.
Look upon yourself as a hired servant of GOD, to whom He has promised a
rich reward at the end of the day He calls _life_; each morning hold
yourself in readiness to obey all His commands, in the way He wills, and
with the means He appoints.
The command may not always come _direct_ from the Master; it would be too
sweet to hear only GOD'S Voice: but He sends it by means of His
ambassadors; these go by the names of _superiors_, _equals_, _inferiors_,
sometimes _enemies_.
Each has received the mission (without knowing it) to make you holy; one
by subduing your independence, another by crushing your pride, a third by
spurring your slothfulness.
They will, though fulfilling GOD'S command, do it each in his own way,
sometimes roughly, sometimes maliciously, sometimes in a way hard to bear
... what does it matter, so long as you feel that all you do, all you
suffer, is the will of GOD?
Do your duty as well as you can, as you understand it, as it is given to
you; say sometimes to GOD, "My Master, art Thou satisfied with me?" and
then, in spite of ennui, fatigue, repugnance, go on with it faithfully to
the end.
Then, whether praise or blame be yours, you will, good faithful servant,
at least have peace.