Save Me in Spite of Myself

Accustom yourself to commune with God, not with thoughts deliberately formed to be expressed at a certain time, but with the feelings with which your heart is filled. If you enjoy His presence, and feel drawn by the attraction of His love, tell Him that you delight in Him, that you are happy in loving Him, and that He is very good to inspire so much affection in a heart so unworthy of His love. But what shall you say in seasons of dryness, coldness, weariness? Still say what you have in your heart. Tell God that you no longer find His love within you, that you feel a terrible void, that He wearies you, that His presence does not move you. Say to Him, "O God, look upon my ingratitude, my inconstancy, my unfaithfulness. Take my heart, for I cannot give it; and when Thou hast it, oh, keep it, for I cannot keep it for Thee; and save me in spite of myself." 

~ Francois De La Mothe Fenelon

Spiritual Growth and Maturity

The open secret of healthy spiritual growth is to know and settle down upon this fact as set forth in Romans 8:28 and 29. When we see that all things are working together to make us more and more like the LORD JESUS we will not be frustrated and upset when some of these 'things' are hard, difficult to understand, and often contain an element of death.  We will be able to rest in our LORD JESUS and say to our FATHER, "THY will be done." And our constant attitude of faith will be, "Though HE slay me, yet will I trust HIM" (Job 13:14). This is our matriculation to spiritual maturity!

~- Miles J. Stanford, Principles of Spiritual Growth

Psalm 107:28-30

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and He brought them out of their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.

They were glad when it grew calm,
and He guided them to their desired haven.

In Thy Hands

SEE, in Thy hands I lay them all--
My will that fails, my feet that fall;
My heart that wearies everywhere,
Yet finds Thy yoke too hard to bear.
KATHARINE T. HINKSON

Christian Love

Christian love, either towards God or towards man, is an affair of the will.

C. S. Lewis

A Prayer of Surrender

"LORD, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee to be Thine forever. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Use me as Thou wilt, send me where Though wilt, work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever."

Prayer of Betty Scott Stam ~ missionary to China, martyred.