0112 你曾與神獨處過嗎？（1）
沒有人的時候，就把一切的道講給門徒聽。《馬可福音 4:34》
與祂獨處的時光。耶穌並不總是將我們帶到一旁，向我們解釋一些事情；祂只在我們能理解之時向我們解釋。別人的生命是我們的借鏡，但神要求我們檢視我們自己的靈魂。這是緩慢的工作——如此緩慢，以至於神要用所有的時間和永恆來塑造一個人能合祂心意。只有在我們讓神向我們展示我們自己品質深藏的領域之後，我們才能被神使用。令人震驚的是，我們對自己是多麼地無知！當我們看見時，我們甚至都沒有意識到自己內心的嫉妒、懶惰或驕傲。但在耶穌的恩典開始工作之前，祂會向我們揭示我們內心所擁有的一切。我們有多少人會勇敢地向內看呢？
我們必須除去我們了解自己的想法，這一直都是驕傲最後消失的一點；唯一理解我們的，就是神。我們靈命最大的詛咒就是驕傲。如果我們曾經一瞥神眼中自己的樣子，我們絕不會說：「哦，我是如此不配。」我們會明白，這是不言而喻的。但只要我們有任何懷疑我們是不配的，神就會繼續把我們關在裡面，直到祂讓我們獨處為止。每當有任何驕傲或自負的成分存在時，耶穌就無法教導我們任何事；當我們的知識自豪感受到傷害時，祂會讓我們經歷心碎或失望。祂會揭示許多錯位的情感或慾望——那些是我們從未想過祂會讓我們獨處面對的。很多事向我們展示，卻無效果。但當神讓我們獨自面對那些時，它們將變得清晰。
來自章伯斯的智慧
我們都有這樣說話的技巧：但願我不是在如今這個環境中！但願我沒有與這些人一起生活！如果我們的信仰或宗教在我們所處的條件下沒有幫助我們，我們若非還需要經歷進一步的掙扎，就是最好放棄那種信仰和宗教。《痛苦的陰影》
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