City of God

I was reading "City of God" by Saint Agustin of Hippo and was struck by a bit of his writing. In it, he writes on the concept of good things and bad befalling all. He proceeds to state that although there is no difference in what both good and bad men must suffer, there is a difference in the men themselves.

"For as the same fire causes gold to glow brightly, and chaff to smoke; and under the same flail the straw is beaten small, while the grain is cleansed; and as the lees are not mixed with the oil, though squeezed out of the vat by the same pressure, so the same violence of affliction proves, purges, clarifies the good, but damns, ruins, exterminates the wicked. And thus it is that in the same affliction the wicked detest God and blaspheme, while the good pray and praise. So material a difference does it make, not what ills are suffered, but what kind of man suffers them. For, stirred up with the same movement, mud exhales a horrible stench, and ointment emits a fragrant odor."

To my horror and shame I have not been a good steward of my faith. Too long have I been despairing at my situation. It is time for me to turn around, cleanse my mind, and truly press into the presence of God for all of my needs, letting him remove the blemish upon my soul.

Hopefully my next post will be one of praise and glory for God, instead of my usual vitriol towards which I lean.