Only God does not deceive - He can neither deceive nor be deceived.
"That our sanctification did not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for GOD's sake, which we commonly do for our own.
That it was lamentable to see how many people mistook the means for the end, addicting themselves to certain works, which they performed very imperfectly, by reason of their human or selfish regards.
That the most excellent method he had found of going to GOD, was that of doing our common business without any view of pleasing men, [Gal. i. 10; Eph. vi. 5, 6.] and (as far as we are capable) purely for the love of GOD.
That it was a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times.
That we are as strictly obliged to adhere to GOD by action in the time of action, as by prayer in its season.
That we ought, once for all, heartily to put our whole trust in GOD, and make a total surrender of ourselves to Him, secure that He would not deceive us. - Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, Practice of the Presence of God
Put not your trust in princes,
in man, in whom there is no salvation. - Ps. 146
Amen. praying...
ReplyDeleteThank you for this, Terry. It's one of those quotes (or series of quotes) that one could base one's whole life on, I think.
ReplyDeleteI also thought of this when reading it:
"There are very few people who realise what God would make of them if they abandoned themselves into his hands, and let themselves be formed by his grace."
-St. Ignatius of Loyola
I just saw a quote from Pope Benedict on Fr. Z's page that reminded me of Br. Lawrence:
ReplyDelete"That it was lamentable to see how many people mistook the means for the end, addicting themselves to certain works, which they performed very imperfectly, by reason of their human or selfish regards."
The quote from Benedict:
"God thirsts for our faith and wants us to find the source of our authentic happiness in him. Every believer is in danger of practicing a false religiosity, of not seeking in God the answer to the most intimate expectations of the heart but, on the contrary, treating God as though he were at the service of our desires and projects.…"
Thanks Patrick - gotta use it.
ReplyDelete