0112 你曾与神独处过吗?(1)

0112 你曾与神独处过吗?(1)

没有人的时候,就把一切的道讲给门徒听。《马可福音 4:34

与祂独处的时光。耶稣并不总是将我们带到一旁,向我们解释一些事情;祂只在我们能理解之时向我们解释。别人的生命是我们的借镜,但神要求我们检视我们自己的灵魂。这是缓慢的工作——如此缓慢,以至于神要用所有的时间和永恒来塑造一个人能合祂心意。只有在我们让神向我们展示我们自己品质深藏的领域之后,我们才能被神使用。令人震惊的是,我们对自己是多么地无知!当我们看见时,我们甚至都没有意识到自己内心的嫉妒、懒惰或骄傲。但在耶稣的恩典开始工作之前,祂会向我们揭示我们内心所拥有的一切。我们有多少人会勇敢地向内看呢?

我们必须除去我们了解自己的想法,这一直都是骄傲最后消失的一点;唯一理解我们的,就是神。我们灵命最大的诅咒就是骄傲。如果我们曾经一瞥神眼中自己的样子,我们绝不会说:「哦,我是如此不配。」我们会明白,这是不言而喻的。但只要我们有任何怀疑我们是不配的,神就会继续把我们关在里面,直到祂让我们独处为止。每当有任何骄傲或自负的成分存在时,耶稣就无法教导我们任何事;当我们的知识自豪感受到伤害时,祂会让我们经历心碎或失望。祂会揭示许多错位的情感或欲望——那些是我们从未想过祂会让我们独处面对的。很多事向我们展示,却无效果。但当神让我们独自面对那些时,它们将变得清晰。

来自章伯斯的智慧

我们都有这样说话的技巧:但愿我不是在如今这个环境中!但愿我没有与这些人一起生活!如果我们的信仰或宗教在我们所处的条件下没有帮助我们,我们若非还需要经历进一步的挣扎,就是最好放弃那种信仰和宗教。《痛苦的阴影》

0112 Have You Ever Been Alone with God? (1)

When they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples. —Mark 4:34

Our Solitude with Him. Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them. The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work— so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose. We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?

We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we will never say, “Oh, I’m so unworthy.” We will understand that this goes without saying. But as long as there is any doubt that we are unworthy, God will continue to close us in until He gets us alone. Whenever there is any element of pride or conceit remaining, Jesus can’t teach us anything. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded. He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires— things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We all have the trick of saying—If only I were not where I am!—If only I had not got the kind of people I have to live with! If our faith or our religion does not help us in the conditions we are in, we have either a further struggle to go through, or we had better abandon that faith and religion.  The Shadow of an Agony, 1178 L