M adame: You tell me nothing new; you are not the only one that is troubled with wander ing thoughts. Our mind is extremely roving; but, as the will is mistress of all our faculties, she must recall them, and carry them to God as their last end. When the mind, for lack of dis cipline when first we engaged in de votion, has contracted certain bad habits of wandering and dissipation, such habits are difficult to overcome, and commonly draw us, even against our wills, to things of the earth. I believe one remedy for this is to confess our faults and to humble our selves before God. I do not advise you to use multiplicity of words in prayer; many words and long dis courses being often the occasions of wandering. Hold yourself in prayer before God like a dumb or para lytic beggar at a rich man’s gate. Let it be your business to keep your mind in the presence of the Lord. If it sometimes wanders and with draws itself from Him, do not much disqhiet yourself for that: trouble and disquiet serve rather to distract the mind than to recall it; the will must bring it back in tranquillity. If you persevere in this manner, God will have pity on you. One way to recall the mind easily in the time of prayer, and preserve it more in tranquillity, is not to let it wander too far at other times. You should keep it strictly in the presence of God; and being accustomed to think of Him often, you will find it easy to keep your mind calm in the time of prayer, or at least to recall it from its wanderings. I have told you already at large, in my former letters, of the advan tages we may draw from this practice of the presence of God. Let us set about it seriously, and pray for one another. Yours,------- Repair Lost Time To the Same: The inclosed is an answer to that which I received from our good Sister------ ; pray deliver it to her. She seems to me full of good will, but she would go faster than grace. One does not become holy all at once. I commend her to you; we ought to help one another by our ad vice, and still more by our good ex amples. You will oblige me by let ting me hear of her from time to time, and whether she be very fervent and very obedient. Let us thus think often that our only business in this life is to please God, and that all besides is perhaps
but folly and vanity. Have we em ployed our years in loving and serv ing God, who by His mercy has called us to this state, and for that very end? I am filled with shame and con fusion when I reflect, on one hand, upon the great favors which God has bestowed and is still bestowing upon me; and, on the other, upon the ill use I have made of them, and my small advancement in the way of per fection. Since by His mercy He gives us still a little time, let us begin in earnest; let us repair the lost time; let us return with a whole-hearted trust to that Father of mercies , who is always ready to receive us into His loving arms. Let us renounce and renounce generously, with single heart, for the love of Him, all that is not His; He deserves infinitely more. Let us think of Him perpetual ly. Let us put all our trust in Him. I doubt not but that we shall soon find the effects of it in receiving the abundance of His grace, with which we can do all things, and without which we can do nothing but sin. We cannot escape the dangers which abound in life without the actual and continual help of God. Let us, then, pray to Him for it contin ually. How can we pray to Him without being with Him? How can we be with Him but by thinking of Him often? And how can we often think of Him unless by a holy habit of thought we are always saying the same thing. It is true, for this is the best and easiest method I know; and as I use no other, I advise all the world to do it. We must know before we can love. In order to know God, we must often think of Him; and when we come to love Him, we shall then also think of Him often, for our heart will be with our treasure. This is an argument which well deserves your consideration. March 28, 1689 I am, Yours,------- Neglect of God Madame: I have had a good deal of difficulty to bring myself to write to M.------ I and I do it now purely be cause you and Mme. ------ desire me. Pray write the directions and send it to him. I am very well pleased with the trust which you have in God; I wish that He may increase it in you more and more. We cannot have too much confidence in so good and faith ful a Friend, who will never fail us in this world nor in the next. If M. ------ knows how to profit by the loss he has had, and puts all his confidence in God, He will soon give
One in a series o f devotional letters on the practice o f the presence o f God by
him another friend, more powerful and more inclined to serve him. He disposes of hearts as He pleases. Per haps M . ------ was too much attached to him he has lost. We ought to love our friends, but without encroaching upon our chief love which is due to God. Remember, I pray you, what I have often recommended, which is, to think on God, by day, by night, in your business, and even in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave Him not alone. You would think it rude to leave a friend alone who came to visit you; why, then, must God be neglected? Do not, then, forget Him, but think on Him often, adore Him continually, live and die with Him; this is the glorious em ployment of a Christian. In a word, this is our profession; if we do not know it, we must learn it. I will en deavor to help you with my prayers, and am, in our Lord, October 29, 1689 Yours,------- On Suffering Madame: I do not pray that you may be delivered from your troubles, but I pray God earnestly that He would give you strength and patience to bear them as long as He pleases. Comfort yourself with Him who holds you fastened to the cross. He will loose you when He thinks fit. Happy those who suffer with Him. Accus tom yourself to suffer in that manner, and seek from Him the strength to
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TH E K IN G 'S BU SINESS
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