'Conquerors through Christ

Conquerors through Christ

It is well that we learn our need of divine help in the temptations of our lives. It is not enough to have the forms of religion — in the great crises of our experience, only Christ himself will suffice.

It is said that Gainsborough, the artist, longed also to be a musician. He bought musical instruments of many kinds and tried to play them. He once heard a great violinist bringing ravishing music from his instrument. Gainsborough was charmed and thrown into transports of admiration. He bought the violin on which the master had played so marvelously.

He thought that if he only had the wonderful instrument he could play, too. But he soon learned that the music was not in the violin — but was in the master who played it.

We sometimes read how certain people have learned to overcome in temptation, and we try to get their method, thinking we can overcome, too, if we use the same formula that they use. We read the biographies of eminent saints to find out how they prayed, how they read the Bible — thinking that we can get the secret of their victoriousness simply by adopting their order of spiritual life.

But as the music was not in the violin — but in the player , so the secret of victory in temptation is not in any method , not even in the Bible, nor in any liturgy of prayer — but only in Christ! The power that makes us strong is not in any religious schedule, it is not in anyone's methods — we must have Christ with us, Christ in us.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

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