Breakfast food for thought

Wade Burleson's post for this morning entitled I'm Not In It To Win It: I'm In It To Resist It began with a quote from Charles Spurgeon that was great breakfast food for thought.

There is growing up in society a Pharisaic system which adds to the commands of God the precepts of men; to that system I will not yield for an hour. The preservation of my liberty may bring upon me the upbraidings of many good men, and the sneers of the self-righteous; but I shall endure both with serenity so long as I feel clear in my conscience before God. C. H. Spurgeon

One phrase from the Spurgeon quote leapt off the screen for me. "endure...with serenity"

Loving words as I do, I decided to savor the idea of serenity by looking at the colors of its synonyms: calmness, composure, cool, patience, peace, peacefulness, placidity, quietness, quietude, stillness, tranquility.

It's hard for me to consider that list for very long without my mind leaping to Galatians 5:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, aiithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Note that Spurgeon qualifies the context for that serenity by saying - "I shall endure both with serenity so long as I feel clear in my conscience before God."

Galatians 5 contains a reminder that can help us feel clear in conscience before God. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

A final thought from Galatians confirms once again that the word of God is living and active as it cries out to me and all others in the Christian blogging world:

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.