An interesting thought

"I am progressing along the path of life in my ordinary contentedly fallen and godless condition, absorbed in a merry meeting with my friends for the morrow or a bit of work that tickles my vanity today, a holiday or a new book, when suddenly a stab of abdominal pain that threatens serious disease, or a headline in the newspapers that threatens us all with destruction, sends this whole pack of cards tumbling down. At first I am overwhelmed, and all my little happinesses look like broken toys . . . And perhaps, by God's grace, I succeed, and for a day or two become a creature consciously dependent on God and drawing its strength from the right sources. But the moment the threat is withdrawn, my whole nature leaps back to the toys . . . Thus the terrible necessity of tribulation is only too clear. God has had me for but forty-eight hours and then only by dint of taking everything else away from me. Let Him but sheathe that sword for a moment and I behave like a puppy when the hated bath is over--I shake myself as dry as I can and race off to reacquire my comfortable dirtiness, if not in the nearest manure heap, at least in the nearest flower bed. And that is why tribulations cannot cease until God either sees us remade or sees that our remaking is now hopeless."

                          -C.S. Lewis

Psalms 144

 Every day I will praise you
       and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
       his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another;
       they will tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
       and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
       and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness
       and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
       slow to anger and rich in love.

The LORD is good to all;
       he has compassion on all he has made.

All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
       your saints will extol you.

They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
       and speak of your might,

so that all men may know of your mighty acts
       and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
       and your dominion endures through all generations.
       The LORD is faithful to all his promises
       and loving toward all he has made.

The LORD upholds all those who fall
       and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you,
       and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand
       and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways
       and loving toward all he has made.

The LORD is near to all who call on him,
       to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
       he hears their cry and saves them.

The LORD watches over all who love him,
       but all the wicked he will destroy.

  My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
       Let every creature praise his holy name
       for ever and ever.