“Always causeth us to triumph” (II. Cor. ii. 14).
How these words help us. Think of them when the people rasp you, when the
devil pricks you with his fiery darts, when your sensitive, self-willed
spirit chafes or frets; let a gentle voice be heard above the strife,
whispering, “Keep sweet, keep sweet!” And, if you will but heed it
quickly, you will be saved from a thousand falls and kept in perfect
peace.
True, you cannot keep yourself sweet, but God will keep you if He sees
that it is your fixed, determined purpose to be kept sweet, and to refuse
to fret or grudge or retaliate. The trouble is, you rather enjoy a little
irritation and morbidness. You want to cherish the little grudge, and
sympathize with your hurt feelings, and nurse your little grievance.
Dear friends, God will give you all the love you really want and honestly
choose. You can have your grievance or you can have the peace that passeth
all understanding; but you cannot have both.
There is a balm for a thousand heartaches, and a heaven of peace and power
in these two little words—KEEP SWEET.