The life of those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High may be called a Hidden Life, because the animating principle, the vital or operative element, is not so much in itself as in another. It is a life grafted into another life. It is the life of the soul, incorporated into the life of Christ; and in such a way, that, while it has a distinct vitality, it has so very much in the sense, in which the branch of a tree may be said to have a distinct vitality from the root.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Marks of True Humility: Bearing with Adversity

The truly humble man receives with great meekness of spirit all adverse occurrences — all sudden injuries of body and estate — all disruption of social ties by death or in other ways, and whatever other forms of human affliction exist. Whatever comes upon him, he feels that he deserves it. He opens not his mouth; he stands dumb, as the sheep before its shearer. Satan, it is true, tempts him to evil thoughts; but he resists them easily and triumphantly. It seems to him a light thing to suffer any thing which God sees fit to impose. He bears the cross like one that loves it.

In connection with these traits of feeling, which obviously characterize the humble man, we may perceive more clearly and definitely in what true humility consists. It is obvious, that it does not consist, as some might perhaps suppose, in mere sorrow. It is well known that sorrow sometimes exists in combination with impatience or with pride. But true humility excludes both of these. Nor does it consist in mere depression of spirits; a state of feeling which, it must be admitted, sometimes imparts an outward appearance of humility. But, in reality, the two states of mind are far from being identical. Humility consists in those feelings, whatever they may be, which are appropriate to a realizing sense of our entire dependence upon God. In other words, it consists in a deep sense of our own nothingness, attended with an equally deep and thorough conviction, that God is, and ought to be, to every holy being, the ALL IN ALL.

— edited from Religious Maxims (1846).

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