Book 2, CHAPTER 5: The Consideration of One’s Self
Comment: God abides in us and we abide in God(1 Jn 4:16). As part of reflecting on our inner life, we need to avoid and even ignore the inevitable entanglements in other’s affairs. By this we grow in grace and understanding. Our outward deeds mean little if our efforts to find the kingdom of God within does not take priority. Our spiritual journey progresses by distancing ourselves from those earthly attachments: seeking fulfillment in Almighty God.
Chapter 5, In Short.
1. Trusting in ourselves is misguided and lacks objectivity.
2. Focus on self-reflection and intentional disinterest in the affairs of others.
3. Make great spiritual progress by remaining unattached to worldly cares and created things.
Book 2, Chapter 5: The Consideration of One’s Self
We must not trust too much to ourselves because we are often lacking sufficient grace and understanding. There is little light within us, and what light we do have is quickly lost through our own negligence. We often do not realize the extent of our inward blindness. We frequently do evil and then make that evil worse by excusing it. We are moved easily by emotion and then mistake it for zeal.
We pick out little faults in others and then pass over the great faults in ourselves. Of course, we assign guilt quickly enough and make a list of what we suffer at the hands of others, but we think very little of all the abuse others have to bear from us. Whenever weighing your own deeds, be careful not to judge harshly in measuring the deeds of others (Lk 6:37-38).
2. The spiritually minded disciple must place the care of the inward person ahead of all other cares. Whoever attends diligently to the interior self easily keeps silence concerning others. You will never be pious and devout unless you silently pass over others’ affairs and take a full accounting of yourself. If you think wholly upon yourself and upon God, what you see taking place outside of your life should not affect you much. Where are you when you are not present to yourself? And, when you have considered all these outward things, what has it profited you if you have neglected yourself (Mt 16:26)? If you would have peace and true union, you must set aside all other distractions, and turn your gaze entirely upon yourself.
3. You will make great progress if you keep free from all worldly care. Lamentably, if you set a value upon any worldly thing you will fail. Let nothing be great, nothing high, nothing pleasing, nothing acceptable to you, save God Himself or the things of God. Reckon as vanity whatever consolation comes to you from a creature. The soul that loves God does not look to anything that is beneath God. God alone is eternal and incomprehensible. He fills all things and is the solace of the soul. He is the true joy of the heart.