0610 在那之後，下一步要做什麼？
尋找，就尋見。《路加福音 11:9》
如果你還沒找到，就去尋找。「你們求也得不着，是因為你們妄求，要浪費在你們的宴樂中。」（雅各書 4:3）。如果你從生活而不是從神祈求，「你們妄求」；也就是說，你的要求是出於自我實現的慾望。你越滿足自己，你就越少尋求神。「尋找，就必尋見…」 開始行動吧——將你的焦點和興趣集中到這一件事上。你曾否全心地尋求神，或你只是在些情感上痛苦經歷之後，向祂發出微弱的呼求？「尋找，【專註】，就必尋見…」
「你們一切乾渴的人，都當就近水來…」（以賽亞書 55:1）。你是否乾渴，或者自滿和漠不關心——對自己的經歷如此滿意，以至於不再需要神？經驗只是一個通道，而不是最終目標。小心不要把你的信仰建立在經歷之上，否則你的生活將不再真實，而只會發出批判之靈的音調。請記住，你永遠無法將你所找到的東西給予他人，但你可以讓他對之產生渴望。
「叩門，就給你們開門。」（路加福音 11:9）。 「你們親近神…」（雅各書 4:8）。敲門——門關着，敲門時你的心跳加速。「潔凈你們的手…」（雅各書 4:8）。敲得更大聲點——你開始發現自己很污穢。「要清潔你們的心…」（雅各書 4:8）。它變得更加個人化——你現在是絕望而認真的——你會做任何事情。「愁苦、悲哀、哭泣…」（雅各書 4:9）。你曾否因自己內在生命的光景而在神面前愁苦、表達你的哀傷？這是沒有任何自憐的痕迹，只有看到自己真正是什麼樣的人，而產生令人心碎的困難和驚訝。「務要在主面前自卑…」（雅各書 4:10）。敲神的門是一種謙卑的經歷——你必須和被釘在十字架上的強盜一起敲門。「叩門，就給他開門。」（路加福音 11:10）。
來自章伯斯的智慧
對那些沒有經歷過痛苦的人，耶穌說：「我沒有什麼可以給你的；站穩自己的腳，挺起自己的肩膀（挺身而立）。我是為那些知道自己所面對的，遠超出他能應付的，那些知道他無法觸碰某些勢力的人而來；若他讓我來，我會為他做一切的事。只要讓一個人承認他有需要，我就會為他做。」《痛苦的陰影》
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