Of the desire after eternal life, and how great blessings are promised to those who strive
1. “My Son, when you feel the desire of eternal happiness to be poured into you from above, and long to depart from the tabernacle of this body, that you may contemplate My glory without shadow of turning, enlarge your heart, and take in this holy inspiration with all your desire. Give most hearty thanks to the Supreme Goodness, who deals with you so graciously, visits you so lovingly, stirs you up so fervently, raises you so powerfully, lest you sink down through your own weight, to earthly things. For not by your own meditating or striving do you receive this gift, but by the sole gracious condescension of Supreme Grace and Divine regard; to the end that you may make progress in virtue and in more humility, and prepare yourself for future conflicts, and cleave unto Me with all the affection of your heart, and strive to serve Me with fervent will.
2. “My Son, often the fire burns, but the flame ascends not without smoke. So also the desires of some men burn towards heavenly things, and yet they are not free from the temptation of carnal affection. Thus therefore they are not acting with an altogether simple desire for God’s glory when they pray to Him so earnestly. Such, too, is oftentimes your desire, when you have imagined it to be so earnest. For that is not pure and perfect which is tainted with your own self-seeking.
3. “Seek you not what is pleasant and advantageous to yourself, but what is acceptable and honorable unto Me; for if you judge rightly, you must choose and follow after My appointment rather than your own desire; yes, rather than anything that can be desired. I know your desire, and I have heard your many groanings. Already you long to be in the glorious liberty of the children of God; already the eternal home delights you, and the heavenly country full of joy; but the hour is not yet come; there remains still another season, even a season of warfare, a season of labor and probation. You desire to be filled with the Chief Good, but you cannot attain it immediately. I AM that Good; wait for Me, until the Kingdom of God shall come.
4. “You must still be tried upon earth, and be exercised in many things. Consolation shall from time to time be given you, but abundant satisfying shall not be granted. Be strong therefore, and be brave both in working and in suffering things which are against your nature. You must put on the new man, and be changed into another man. You must often do what you would not do; and you must leave undone what you would do. What pleases others shall have good success, what pleases you shall have no prosperity. What others say shall be listened to; what you say shall receive no heed. Others shall ask and receive; you shall ask and not obtain. Others shall be great in the report of men, but about you shall nothing be spoken. To others this or that shall be entrusted; you shall be judged useful for nought.
5. “For this cause nature shall sometimes be filled with sadness; and it is a great thing if you bear it silently. In this and many like things the faithful servant of the Lord is wont to be tried, how far he is able to deny himself and bring himself into subjection in all things. Scarcely is there anything in which you have need to mortify yourself so much as in seeing things which are adverse to your will; especially when things are commanded you to be done which seem to you inexpedient or of little use to you. And because you dare not resist a higher power, being under authority, therefore it seems hard for you to shape your course according to the nod of another, and to forego your own opinion.
6. “But consider, My Son, the fruit of these labors, the swift end, and the reward exceeding great; and you shall find it no pain to bear them then, but rather the strongest solace of your patience. For even in exchange for this trifling desire which you have readily forsaken, you shall always have your will in Heaven. There verily you shall find all that you would, all that you can long for. There you shall have all good within your power without the fear of losing it. There your will, ever at one with Mine, shall desire nothing outward, nothing for itself. There no man shall withstand you, none shall complain of you, none shall hinder, nothing shall stand in your path; but all things desired by you shall be present together, and shall refresh thy whole affection, and fill it up even to the brim. There I will glory for the scorn suffered here, the garment of praise for sorrow, and for the lowest place a throne in the Kingdom, for ever. There shall appear the fruit of obedience, the labor of repentance shall rejoice, and humble subjection shall be crowned gloriously.
7. “Now therefore bow yourself humbly under the hands of all men; nor let it trouble you who said this or who ordered that; but take special heed that whether your superior, your inferior, or your equal, require anything from you, or even show a desire for it; take it all in good part, and study with a good will to fulfill the desire. Let one seek this, another that; let this man glory in this, and that man in that, and be praised a thousand thousand times, but rejoice you only in the contempt of yourself, and in My own good pleasure and glory. This is what you are to long for, even that whether by life or by death God may be ever magnified in you.”
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