What a different place this earth would be if God's will were always done! What peace and happiness would prevail! What mutual good-will, and kindness, and unselfish generosity. With what perfect resignation we should bear all the crosses that God sends us. What harmony and good feeling would be found in every household! No more wars and strife, no more quarrels, no more resentment, no more jealousy, no more bitterness, no more regrets and disappointment; nothing but a loyal performance of the will of God in every detail of life, and a patient waiting until the time of our earthly sojourn has elapsed.

No one can ever run counter to the will of God without having to suffer for it. He must pay the penalty of disobedience. It is no use thinking that the matter is a trifling one, and that therefore the will of God can be disregarded with impunity. There is nothing small or trifling in things Divine. Every violation of God's holy will will bring sooner or later, a proportionate punishment. Often it will involve others, as well as the offender, in sorrow and suffering.

The reason of this is that as man is created to do the will of God, any departure from the end for which God designed him, must introduce an element of discord into man's nature. There is a war within us, self-will struggles against God's will, and this struggle means continual misery. One of the chief torments of the lost will be their self- will struggling vainly against the omnipotent will of God. Grant, O Lord, that my self-will may be brought into perfect subjection to Thy holy will!