0610 在那之后，下一步要做什么？
寻找，就寻见。《路加福音 11:9》
如果你还没找到，就去寻找。「你们求也得不着，是因为你们妄求，要浪费在你们的宴乐中。」（雅各书 4:3）。如果你从生活而不是从神祈求，「你们妄求」；也就是说，你的要求是出于自我实现的欲望。你越满足自己，你就越少寻求神。「寻找，就必寻见…」 开始行动吧——将你的焦点和兴趣集中到这一件事上。你曾否全心地寻求神，或你只是在些情感上痛苦经历之后，向祂发出微弱的呼求？「寻找，【专注】，就必寻见…」
「你们一切干渴的人，都当就近水来…」（以赛亚书 55:1）。你是否干渴，或者自满和漠不关心——对自己的经历如此满意，以至于不再需要神？经验只是一个通道，而不是最终目标。小心不要把你的信仰建立在经历之上，否则你的生活将不再真实，而只会发出批判之灵的音调。请记住，你永远无法将你所找到的东西给予他人，但你可以让他对之产生渴望。
「叩门，就给你们开门。」（路加福音 11:9）。 「你们亲近神…」（雅各书 4:8）。敲门——门关着，敲门时你的心跳加速。「洁净你们的手…」（雅各书 4:8）。敲得更大声点——你开始发现自己很污秽。「要清洁你们的心…」（雅各书 4:8）。它变得更加个人化——你现在是绝望而认真的——你会做任何事情。「愁苦、悲哀、哭泣…」（雅各书 4:9）。你曾否因自己内在生命的光景而在神面前愁苦、表达你的哀伤？这是没有任何自怜的痕迹，只有看到自己真正是什么样的人，而产生令人心碎的困难和惊讶。「务要在主面前自卑…」（雅各书 4:10）。敲神的门是一种谦卑的经历——你必须和被钉在十字架上的强盗一起敲门。「叩门，就给他开门。」（路加福音 11:10）。
来自章伯斯的智慧
对那些没有经历过痛苦的人，耶稣说：「我没有什么可以给你的；站稳自己的脚，挺起自己的肩膀（挺身而立）。我是为那些知道自己所面对的，远超出他能应付的，那些知道他无法触碰某些势力的人而来；若他让我来，我会为他做一切的事。只要让一个人承认他有需要，我就会为他做。」《痛苦的阴影》
0610 And After That What’s Next To Do?
…seek, and you will find… —Luke 11:9
Seek if you have not found. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss…” (James 4:3). If you ask for things from life instead of from God, “you ask amiss”; that is, you ask out of your desire for self-fulfillment. The more you fulfill yourself the less you will seek God. “…seek, and you will find….” Get to work— narrow your focus and interests to this one thing. Have you ever sought God with your whole heart, or have you simply given Him a feeble cry after some emotionally painful experience? “…seek, [focus,] and you will find….”
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…” (Isaiah 55:1). Are you thirsty, or complacent and indifferent— so satisfied with your own experience that you want nothing more of God? Experience is a doorway, not a final goal. Beware of building your faith on experience, or your life will not ring true and will only sound the note of a critical spirit. Remember that you can never give another person what you have found, but you can cause him to have a desire for it.
“…knock, and it will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). “Draw near to God…” (James 4:8). Knock— the door is closed, and your heartbeat races as you knock. “Cleanse your hands…” (James 4:8). Knock a bit louder— you begin to find that you are dirty. “…purify your hearts…” (James 4:8). It is becoming even more personal— you are desperate and serious now— you will do anything. “Lament…” (James 4:9). Have you ever lamented, expressing your sorrow before God for the condition of your inner life? There is no thread of self-pity left, only the heart-rending difficulty and amazement which comes from seeing what kind of person you really are. “Humble yourselves…” (James 4:10). It is a humbling experience to knock at God’s door— you have to knock with the crucified thief. “…to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:10).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
To those who have had no agony Jesus says, “I have nothing for you; stand on your own feet, square your own shoulders. I have come for the man who knows he has a bigger handful than he can cope with, who knows there are forces he cannot touch; I will do everything for him if he will let Me. Only let a man grant he needs it, and I will do it for him.” –The Shadow of an Agony