The obligations of normal human kindness — chesed, as the Hebrew has it — that we all owe. But there’s a kind of vanity in thinking you can nurse the world. There’s a kind of vanity in goodness.
— Madeleine L’Engle, A Ring of Endless Light
We don’t know on any given day all that’s playing into why we can’t seem to hear from God. . . . But I do know this: it can’t be the verdict of how I’m doing with God or how he feels about me in this moment. . . .
My ability to hear God’s voice on any given day does not change my position in Christ one bit. I share this because the last thing I want to introduce into your faith is shame or doubt or some other attack because you’re not hearing clearly right now. Taking the journey toward an intimacy with God that includes conversational intimacy is a beautiful thing, full of surprises and gifts from him.
But it can also send us reeling if we are basing our relationship with God on our ability to hear from him in this moment or on this particular issue. . . .
So, if you’re not yet hearing, don’t worry. It’s okay. Keep praying. Keep listening. Notice what God might be up to other than answering the immediate question.
— John Eldredge, Walking with God, p. 48-50
It is not, Let your good works shine, but Let your light shine.
Let it be the genuine love of your hearts, taking form in true deeds, not the doing of good deeds to prove that your opinions are right. If you are thus true, your very talk about the truth will be a good work, a shining of the light that is in you. A true smile is a good work and may do much to reveal the Father who is in heaven. But the smile that is put on for the sake of looking right, or even for the sake of being right, will hardly reveal him because it is not like him.
— George MacDonald, Your Life in Christ, p. 210
“It’s not about prophecies, boy. Or magic swords, or any of that nonsense. It’s about getting it done. Always is. You’re going to be king someday. Seen a lot of kings come and go. I know what makes them. What breaks them. Save your friends and kill the dragon. Or you won’t be worth a cracked copper to Idris. Or to yourself. That’s what it’s really about . . . in the end. About you.”
— The Prophecy, by Hilari Bell
“That engine I’ve been working on will run so sweetly,” he remarked as he poured his tea.
“Like life,” she said.
— Alexander McCall Smith, The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, p. 213
I’m back to the shepherd and the sheep. When the sheep follow the shepherd, they find pasture. They find life. Life doesn’t just magically come to us. We have to make ourselves available to it. There is a lifestyle that allows us to receive the life of God. I know that if I will live more intimately with Jesus and follow his voice, I will have a much better chance of finding the life I long for. I know it. If I will listen to his voice and let him set the pace, if I will cooperate in my transformation, I will be a much happier man. And so a new prayer has begun to rise within me. I am asking God, What is the life you want me to live?
— John Eldredge, Walking with God, p. 28
“When all of this comes to pass, My word to you is this: Do not lose hope. A plan is unfolding that you cannot clearly see. If you could see it as I do, you would still hurt, but you would not lose hope. You would gladly remain faithful to Me in the middle of the worst suffering. I guarantee you the power to please Me, not to have a good time. But pleasing Me will bring you great joy.
“In the deepest part of your soul, you long more than anything else to be a part of My plan, to further My kingdom, to know Me and please Me and enjoy Me. I will satisfy that longing. You have the power to represent Me well no matter what happens in your life. That is the hope I give you in this world. Don’t lose it.”
— Larry Crabb, Shattered Dreams:Â God’s Unexpected Pathway to Joy, p. 46
Jesus says that as our Good Shepherd, he is leading us. What an encouraging thought. Jesus is leading you, and he is leading me. He is shepherding us. I can feel something in my heart loosening even now as I consider this. Okay, I don’t have to make life happen on my own. Now, if Christ takes it upon himself to lead, then our part is to follow. And you’ll find that it helps a great deal in your following if you know what God is up to. . . .
Whatever else is going on, we can know this:Â God is always up to our transformation. . . .
God has something in mind. He is deeply and personally committed to restoring humanity. Restoring you. He had a specific man or woman in mind when he made you. By bringing you back to himself through the work of Jesus Christ, he has established relationship with you. And now, what he is up to is restoring you. . . .
Oh, the joy, the utter relief it would be to be transformed. That in itself would be more happiness than most of us ever experience. And — as if that were not enough — it would free us to live the life God has for us to live.
My friends, this is what God’s up to. This is where our Shepherd is headed. Whatever else is going on in our lives, this is going on. He is committed to our transformation. So, if this is what God’s up to, wouldn’t it make sense that we be more intentional in partnering with him in our transformation?
— John Eldredge, Walking with God, p. 19-21
Life. Life. Life. It is all about life; imperishable, unceasing zoë.
But we must seek this life out, pursue it, turn into it because there is also a principle of death within us, stemming from the fall. Therefore, we must be constantly saying “yes” to life and “no” to death. We must always be discerning life-giving actions and attitudes from those that are death-giving. This is why the Bible is such a help to us; it is regularly fleshing these things out in the rough-and-tumble of real-life situations. Scripture makes clear to us precisely how this “with God” life works in all the circumstances of human existence, both for individuals and for groups, both in specific historical periods and throughout all times.
— Richard J. Foster, Life with God, p. x
Surrender to the pain. Then learn to surrender to the good. It’s there and more is on the way. Love God. Love Family. Love what you do. Love people, and learn to let them love you. And always keep on loving yourself.
No matter how good it gets, the best is yet to come.
— Melody Beattie, Beyond Codependency:Â And Getting Better All the Time, p. 245