Category: Quote of the Day

Mel Trotter, the evangelist, was conducting a prayer meeting, and everybody had prayed except one man. He said he couldn’t pray. “Get down on your knees and confess your sins,” Mel ordered. “I can’t think of any,” the man replied. “Get down on your knees and guess at it,” Mel answered. Later, the evangelist said, “He guessed it the very first time.” We know what is wrong, but we like to justify ourselves.

“…But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9). Jeremiah was tired of holding in the message that burned in his heart. It was forbearance or fire, and he chose to release the fire. Of course, there is a difference between unburdening our hearts and just getting things off our chests, but too much forbearance will smother the flaming bone-fire and leave only smouldering coals. For one reason or another, there is too much restraint and not enough constraint nowadays. We become so cautious that we are no longer consumed.