HOW ONE SHOULD FEEL AND SPEAK ON EVERY DESIRABLE
THING
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
MY CHILD, this is the way you must speak on every occasion:
"Lord, if it be pleasing to You, so be it. If it be to Your honor,
Lord, be it done in Your name. Lord, if You see that it is expedient
and profitable for me, then grant that I may use it to Your honor. But
if You know that it will be harmful to me, and of no good benefit to
the welfare of my soul, then take this desire away from me."
Not every desire is from the Holy Spirit, even though it may
seem right and good. It is difficult to be certain whether it is a
good spirit or a bad one that prompts one to this or that, and even to
know whether you are being moved by your own spirit. Many who seemed
at first to be led by a good spirit have been deceived in the end.
Whatever the mind sees as good, ask and desire in fear of God
and humility of heart. Above all, commit the whole matter to Me with
true resignation, and say: "Lord, You know what is better for me; let
this be done or that be done as You please. Grant what You will, as
much as You will, when You will. Do with me as You know best, as will
most please You, and will be for Your greater honor. Place me where
You will and deal with me freely in all things. I am in Your hand;
turn me about whichever way You will. Behold, I am Your servant, ready
to obey in all things. Not for myself do I desire to live, but for You
-- would that I could do this worthily and perfectly!"
A PRAYER THAT THE WILL OF GOD BE DONE
Grant me Your grace, O most merciful Jesus, that it may be with
me, and work with me, and remain with me to the very end. Grant that I
may always desire and will that which is most acceptable and pleasing
to You. Let Your will be mine. Let my will always follow Yours and
agree perfectly with it. Let my will be one with Yours in willing and
in not willing, and let me be unable to will or not will anything but
what You will or do not will. Grant that I may die to all things in
this world, and for Your sake love to be despised and unknown in this
life. Give me above all desires the desire to rest in You, and in You
let my heart have peace. You are true peace of heart. You alone are
its rest. Without You all things are difficult and troubled. In this
peace, the selfsame that is in You, the Most High, the everlasting
Good, I will sleep and take my rest. Amen. |
How we must stand and speak, in everything that we
desire
"My Son, speak thou thus in every matter, 'Lord,
if it please Thee, let this come to pass. Lord, if this shall be for
Thine honour, let it be done in Thy Name. Lord, if thou see it good
for me, and approve it as useful, then grant me to use it for Thy
honour. But if thou knowest that it shall be hurtful unto me, and not
profitable for the health of my soul, take the desire away from me'!
For not every desire is from the Holy Ghost, although it appear to a
man right and good. It is difficult to judge with certainty whether a
good or an evil spirit move thee to desire this or that, or whether
thou art moved by thine own spirit. Many have been deceived at the
last, who seemed at the beginning to be moved by a good spirit.
2. "Therefore, whatsoever seemeth to thee
desirable, thou must always desire and seek after it with the fear of
God and humility of heart, and most of all, must altogether resign
thyself, and commit all unto Me and say, 'Lord, thou knowest what is
best; let this or that be, according as Thou wilt. Give what Thou
wilt, so much as Thou wilt, when Thou wilt. Do with me as Thou
knowest best, and as best shall please Thee, and as shall be most to
Thine honour. Place me where Thou wilt, and freely work Thy will with
me in all things. I am in Thine hand, and turn me in my course.
Behold, I am Thy servant, ready for all things; for I desire to live
not to myself but to Thee. Oh, that I might live worthily and
perfectly.'"
A PRAYER TO BE ENABLED TO DO GOD'S WILL PERFECTLY
3. Grant me Thy grace, most merciful Jesus, that
it may be with me, and work in me, and persevere with me, even unto
the end. Grant that I may ever desire and wish whatsoever is most
pleasing and dear unto Thee. Let Thy will be mine, and let my will
alway follow Thine, and entirely accord with it. May I choose and
reject whatsoever Thou dost; yea, let it be impossible for me to
choose or reject except according to Thy will.
4. Grant that I may die to all worldly things,
and for Thy sake love to be despised and unknown in this world. Grant
unto me, above all things that I can desire, to rest in Thee, and that
in Thee my heart may be at peace. Thou art the true peace of the
heart, Thou alone its rest; apart from Thee all things are hard and
unquiet. In Thee alone, the supreme and eternal God, I will lay me
down in peace and take my rest.(1) Amen. |