Witness for the Truth

This is an exerpt from Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. My prayer is that this might be an encouragement to those that are described in this passage, and rarely ever receive the same kind of affirmation in their walk that many of God’s children enjoy. Praise be to God for His Divine Providence.

-”They who live in God preform countless good works for His glory. But those in whom God lives are often flung into a corner like a useless bit of broken pottery. There they lie, forsaken by everyone, but yet enjoying God’s very real and active love and know that they have to do nothing but stay in His hands and be used as He wishes. Often, they have no idea how they will be used. But He knows. The world thinks them useless and it seems as if they are. Yet it is quite cetain that by various and through hidden channels they pour out spiritual help on people who are often quite unaware of it, and of whom they themselves never think. For those who have surrendered themselves to God, all they do has power. Their lives are sermons. They are apostles. God gives a special force to all they say and do; even through their silence, tranquility, and detatchment. Which quite unknown to them, profoundly influences other people. They themselves are influenced by others . Who by grace, unknowingly benefit them and in turn are used to guide other people who have no direct connection with them. God works through them by unexpected and hidden impulses. In this respect they are like Jesus, who produces a secret healing power. The difference between Him and them is that they are often unaware of this discharge of power and so do not cooperate with it. It is like a hidden scent which gives off it’s sweetness unknowingly, and is quite ignorant of it’s strength…………..Their guidance is in His hands, as the saints have always been, realizing that it is God alone who knows what is right for it. In fact if it relied on human guidance it would inevetably lose it’s way in that unknown land into which God conducts it. It is the Will of God which guides souls along paths which It alone knows. When the wind is shifting one can only be sure of it’s direction from moment to moment. So it is with these souls. They have their course continually altered by the will of God. And His will can be understood only by it’s effects; by what it accomplishes in these souls, either through secret hidden promptings or through the dutys of their station of life. This is all the spiritual knowledge they have. It is the sum total of their visions and revelations; all their wisdom and instruction. They need nothing more. Faith assures them that what they do is good.”