Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ 1.21

Of compunction of heart

1. If you will make any progress keep yourself in the fear of God, and long not to be too free, but restrain all your senses under discipline and give not yourself up to senseless mirth. Give yourself to compunction of heart, and you shall find devotion. Compunction opens the way for many good things, which dissoluteness is wont quickly to lose. It is wonderful that any man can ever rejoice heartily in this life who considers and weighs his banishment, and the manifold dangers which beset his soul.

2. Through lightness of heart and neglect of our shortcomings we feel not the sorrows of our soul, but often vainly laugh when we have good cause to weep. There is no true liberty nor real joy, save in the fear of God with a good conscience. Happy is he who can cast away every cause of distraction and bring himself to the one purpose of holy compunction. Happy is he who puts away from him whatsoever may stain or burden his conscience. Strive manfully; custom is overcome by custom. If you know how to let men alone, they will gladly let you alone to do your own works.

3. Busy not yourself with the affairs of others, nor entangle yourself with the business of great men. Keep always your eye upon yourself first of all, and give advice to yourself specially before all your dearest friends. If you have not the favor of men, be not thereby cast down, but let your concern be that you hold not yourself so well and circumspectly, as becomes a servant of God and a devout monk. It is often better and safer for a man not to have many comforts in this life, especially those which concern the flesh. But that we lack divine comforts or feel them rarely is to our own blame, because we seek not compunction of heart, nor utterly cast away those comforts which are vain and worldly.

4. Know yourself to be unworthy of divine consolation, and worthy rather of much tribulation. When a man has perfect compunction, then all the world is burdensome and bitter to him. A good man will find sufficient cause for mourning and weeping; for whether he considers himself, or ponders concerning his neighbor, he knows that no man lives here without tribulation, and the more thoroughly he considers himself, the more thoroughly he grieves. Grounds for just grief and inward compunction there are in our sins and vices, wherein we lie so entangled that we are but seldom able to contemplate heavenly things.

5. If you think upon your death more often than how long your life should be, you would doubtless strive more earnestly to improve. And if you did seriously consider the future pains of hell, I believe you would willingly endure toil or pain and fear not discipline. But because these things reach not the heart, and we still love pleasant things, therefore we remain cold and miserably indifferent.

6. Oftentimes it is from poverty of spirit that the wretched body is so easily led to complain. Pray therefore humbly unto the Lord that He will give you the spirit of compunction and say in the language of the prophet, Feed me, O Lord, with bread of tears, and give me plenteousness of tears to drink.