'Accustom yourself to commune with God, not with thought deliberately formed to be expressed at a certain time, but with the feelings with which your heart is filled. If you enjoy His presence, and feel drawn by the attraction of His love, tell Him that you delight in Him, that you are happy in loving Him, and that he is very good to inspire so much affection in a heart so unworthy of His love. But what shall you say in seasons of dryness, coldness, weariness? Still say what you have in your heart. Tell God that you no longer find His love within you, that you feel a terrible void, that He wearies you, that His presence does not move you. Say to Him, "O God, look upon my ingratitude, my inconstancy, my unfaithfulness. Take my heart, for I cannot give it; and when Thou hast it, oh, keep it, for I cannot keep it for Thee, and save me in spite of myself. '
Francois de la Mothe Fenelon
I read this some time ago, and kept meaning to note it here.
Today: 4/10, medium
2 comments:
That's a good quote. Another thing that I've read (and of course I can't call to mind exactly what I read it in - but it's supposed to be a classic) is that occasionally we go through a "dark night of the soul," where we don't feel God, but it's not because we've been unfaithful or ungrateful or inconstant. It's just a learning process that we go through as we go on in our faith-walk. Of course, it doesn't make it any easier to go through such a process when it's happening to you, but understanding that something like that is possible can provide a spark of hope in the darkness. :-)
Hello! Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog, it always warms my heart to read about others 'looking for something deeper.' :) Your quote here is good. What shall we say in these times being dry, cold or weary? I think of this often because my goal (not there quite yet) is to get to the place where I say the same things if I were quenched, warm or refreshed-for no other reason than because of His great faithfulness.
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