Of the Imitation of Christ/Book III/Chapter XIX
CHAPTER XIX.
OF THE ENDURANCE OF INJURIES, AND OF THE PROOF OF TRUE PATIENCE.
HAT is it thou sayest, My son? Cease to complain, when thou considerest My Passion, and the sufferings of holy saints.
Thou hast not yet resisted unto blood. It is but little which thou sufferest in comparison of those who suffered so much, who were so strongly tempted, so grievously afflicted, so many ways tried and exercised.
Thou oughtest therefore to call to mind the more heavy sufferings of others, that so thou mayest the more easily bear thine own very small troubles.
And if they seem unto thee not very small, then beware lest thy impatience be the cause thereof.
However, whether they be small or whether they be great, endeavour patiently to undergo them all.
2. The better thou disposest thyself to suffering, the more wisely thou doest, and the greater thy reward. Thou shalt more easily endure it, if both in mind and by habit thou art diligently prepared thereunto.
Do not say, "I cannot endure to suffer these things at the hands of such an one, nor ought I to endure such things; for he hath done me great wrong, and reproacheth me with things which I never thought of; but of another I will willingly suffer, that is, if they are things which I shall see I ought to suffer."
Such a thought is foolish; it considereth not the virtue of patience, nor by whom it will be crowned; but rather weigheth too exactly the persons, and the injuries offered to itself.
3. He is not truly patient, who is willing to suffer only so much as he thinks good, and from whom he pleases.
But the truly patient man minds not by whom he is exercised, whether by his superiors, by one of his equals, or by an inferior; whether by a good and holy man, or by one that is perverse and unworthy.
But indifferently from every creature, how much, or how often, soever anything adverse befall him, he takes it all thankfully as from God, and esteems it great gain:
For with God it is impossible that any thing, however small, if only it be suffered for God's sake, should pass without its reward.
4. Be thou therefore prepared for the fight, if thou wilt have the victory.
Without a combat thou canst not attain unto the crown of patience.
If thou art unwilling to suffer, thou refusest to be crowned. But if thou desire to be crowned, fight manfully, endure patiently.
Without labour there is no rest, nor without fighting can the victory be won.
O Lord, let that become possible to me by Thy grace, which by nature seems impossible to me.
Thou knowest that I am able to suffer but little, and that I am quickly cast down, when a slight adversity ariseth.
For Thy Name's sake, let every exercise of tribulation be made bearable unto me; for to suffer and to be troubled for Thy sake, is very wholesome for my soul.