This is an extended quote from Gerhart Tersteegen, whom I have quoted before.  I first read his small book “The Quiet Way” so twenty years ago.  At that time his words spoke to my heart, but now I find that I can more readilyassimiliate his thoughts into my spiritual life.  I am sending along this quote because I will be spending less time on my next two blogs.  I will we busy with grandchildren for the next three weeks.  Each blog I write takes time.  This reflective and writing time will be at a primium during this time.  So I am sending along some thoughts from Tersteegen.  Here is the quote.

“The mind of God and the light of God do not come in from outside.  They do not borrow thier certainty and strength from our minds or our senses.  They make themselves known in the heart’s core and have energy anc certainty in themselves, although these become darkened and disappear when the soul begins to search after clear certainty in her depths.  So do not go out so much into reflections.  Do not seek merely by reasoned, external methods to fin dsure foundations, but close your eyes like a child and confide yourself to the hidden Being who is so near to you inwardly.”

Here is a second quote.  “O that I could pour pour our my whole heart in tears and weep for the blindness of men!  They take their deceptive illusions and their trivial things for the essential, and the essential things of the spirit for imagination and error.  Yet it has been told us aforetime that the natural man, in contrast to the spiritual, can perceive nothing of the things of the Spirit of God.”

While I am at it, here is a third quote. “Even when all the powers of sin and wickedness are active within you, and you are aware of nothing but temptations on every side, say sincerely to God: ‘Lord, in spite of this, I will not sin.’  Withdraw your inward will gently but completely from the evil and incline yourself inwardly to God as best you can.  In Him and with Him no evil can reach you.  If you cannot do even this, then suffer quietly, as a rock suffers the raging of the sea and a tree hailstorms and thunder, until bright weather returns