Discipline: The Glad Surrender

Over the past month I've been reading "Discipline: The Glad Surrender" by Elisabeth Elliot.  As is probably obvious from how much I rave, I love Elisabeth Elliot--her bluntness, her example, etc.  I have a hard time with some of her books, though, because they kind of seem to blend together in my mind.  However, this book is just what its title suggests--it's all about discipline.  Discipline of the life, the mind, the body, the time, etc.  I have found it to be very helpful and informative.  Another thing I like about Elliot is that I find a lot of practical applications in her books, and there's a lot of practical application to be found in this book.

I wanted to share an excerpt that I enjoyed from this book.  It's about worry:

Frustration is not the will of God.  Of that we can be quite certain.  There is time to do anything and everything that God wants us to do. Obedience fits smoothly into His given framework.  One thing that most certainly will not fit into it is worry.  Here are six reasons why:

   1. Worry is totally fruitless.  Have you ever succeeded in adding an inch where you wanted it, or subtracting one where you didn’t want it, merely by being anxious?  If you can’t accomplish that by worrying, what can you accomplish?

   2. Worry is worse than fruitless: it is disobedience.  Note these commands:

   Fret not.

   Fear not.

   Let not your hearts be troubled.

   Be not dismayed.

   Be of good cheer.

   3. Worry is taking the not-given—for example, tomorrow.   Tomorrow is not ours to worry about.  We are allowed to plan for tomorrow, but we are not allowed to worry about it.  Today’s troubles are enough of a burden.  Jesus knew exactly what He was talking about when He said that.

   4. Worry is refusing the given.  Today’s care, not tomorrow’s, is the responsibility given to us, apportioned in the wisdom of God. Often we neglect the thing assigned for the moment because we are preoccupied with something that is not our business just now.  How easy it is to give only half our attention to someone who needs us—friend, husband, or little child—because the other half is focused on a future worry.

   5. Worry is the antithesis of trust.  You simply cannot do both.  They are mutually exclusive.

   6. Worry is a wicked squandering of time (as well as energy).

-- Elisabeth Elliot

 All that to say, I would recommend that you find this book and read it!  I hope you enjoyed this review. :)