"I confess to the Lord God it is with sufficient rashness, if it be not even shamelessness, that I venture to write concerning patience, for the practice of which I am altogether unfit, being a man in whom there is no good thing....

For that which is the most good, is the most in, the hands of God, and no other than He who possesseth "dispenseth it to each" as he seeth fit. Wherefore, it will be a sort of comfort to reason about that which it is not permitted us to enjoy, like sickly persons, who, when they lack health know not how to be silent about its blessings. In like manner I, wretched man that I am, ever sick with the fever of impatience, must needs sign for, and call upon, and speak all my thoughts upon, that healthy state of patience which I possess not....." Tertullian.

I think it is important that all Christians, and especially those young in the faith, realize that whether the subject be patience, or any other behavior, those that speak on it are like Tertullian describes-- like sickly persons that know not how to be silent about the blessings of health.

I feel compelled from time to time to state this about myself; a disclaimer of sorts, because I lack, or have such a small store of most of the virtues I post on, that at times, I too, feel rash and shameful. But all Christians can speak of the glories of Holiness though far from where they want to be, need to be, ought to be. We have seasons of great victory and then seasons of failure. That being so, I write on regardless of the season I'm in, because I'm complelled to speak all my thoughts upon that healthy state, which I possess not.

Photo by Biliana Rakocevic