Never Alone - Part 8

This is from the "Third Letter" of Brother Lawrence. The title of the letter is "The Role of Self Denial."

Three things struck me (isn't it funny how a preacher man can get three points out of anything):

• "Even though you are getting older, it's never too late to start." As a younger person, I was always told to form habits young, because when you get older, it would be hard to start them. While that is true, it is still never too late.
• "It amazes me how many people on the journey with God can be satisfied with where they are and not practice God's presence regularly." It is easy to get comfortable with where we are in life (professionally, spiritual, socially, etc.). As a pastor, I made a startling find (with my wife's help) that most people don't change much apart from a traumatic experience. A loss of a job or death in the family will often result in a spiritual change. It's sad that it often comes to that.
• "I'm definitely not suggesting that we've got to go to extremes by placing ridiculously excessive and irrational limits on ourselves." Growing up, I often thought that devotion or spiritual discipline was a matter of drudgery. It was legalistic. We had to do it because we had to do it. Stop asking questions and do it. It is a means to reaching God. If spiritual discipline is getting the way of our relationship with God, then it is really of no benefit to us.

I am pressing on in my desires to be closer to God and know his will better.

Keep the faith.