s a long step toward open
rebellion.

Even if our querulous spirit does not lead directly to such serious
sin, it involves us in great peril. We have already seen that Satan
has no means of knowing the effect of his assaults except by the
outward indications we give. When we openly complain of the force of
his attacks, are we not advertising him of our weak points? The
garrison that is maintaining a siege not only seeks to keep its
fortifications intact, but, should weakness transpire at any point, is
most careful not to give the enemy knowledge of it. Keep a brave front
always. This not only encourages our own heart, but discourages the
adversary.

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(3) We must also draw upon our past experience to convince ourselves
that most of our anxieties have no real basis in fact. How many hours
and days of troubled care can we recall which were proved by the issue
of the event to have had reality only in our anxious imagination.

"My sons," said an old man on his deathbed, in giving his last counsel
to his children, "I have had much trouble in this life, but most of it
never happened." This is the universal experience, and it holds good
with the solicitude that we feel over our temptations and other
spiritual trials as in the less important matters of our temporal life.

(4) It will be a help to remind ourselves very frequently that in
indulging a false anxiety concerning our spiritual difficulties, we are
seeking to-day to bear the morrow's burden, something God means no soul
to undertake. There are surely temptations enough to-day to require
all of to-day's grace and strength; and, conversely, we know that no
grace will be wanting for the trials of the present hour.

The promise is given to us as to God's people of old, "As thy days so
shall thy strength be";[15] that is, according to the need of each
particular occasion so will strength be given. There is no {72}
promise that strength will be given to-day to bear the anticipated, and
often imaginary, ills of the future; and when we allow ourselves thus
to anticipate them, we are courting sure defeat.

Satan delights to lead us into this false anxiety, for he knows we have
at the present moment no grace to grapple with temptations and trials
which do not belong to this time; and further, he knows that a faithful
confidence in God now is the _sine qua non_ to securing and storing up
strength against the future trial. If he can disturb that confidence
to