Book 3, Chapter 37: The Pure and Entire Resignation of Self for Obtaining Liberty of Heart
Comment: Is it even possible to fully renounce yourself for God? Who do you know who has done this? I couldn’t think of anyone, although I know many who are works in progress. Then I will read of a Saint who, upon their death bed, finally abandons that last bit of the self to Christ.
So what does it mean to resign yourself? First, it means to be open to God’s Will over our own: “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven,” comes to mind. Renouncing our will comes next and then actually moving in concert with God’s Will – being stripped naked of it. Third, we must resign ourselves without reservation, relying upon His Grace – without which we miss the relationship with Him. We next make our fulfillment whole in pleasing God and working for His Glory (instead of our own), asking for nothing in return. Last of all, forsaking ourselves to follow Christ to the Cross in order to extinguish the sin we cling to, and live a new life in Christ.
And so I wonder, I pray, I fail, I get back up, go back to Confession, and try again. My resolve weakens because my faith is weak, my trust is low. I’m wearing so many layers, you’d think it was ten degrees below zero! There is much stripping to be done. The Morning Offering is a great prayer for working on this area of self-resignation.
Thomas leaves us with the hope for progress when he writes in the Voice of Christ: “Aim for this, pray for this, desire this, that you may be delivered from all self-seeking, and thus naked, follow Jesus naked, that you may die to yourself and eternally live to Me.”
I will take aim. I will pray. I will desire to be delivered from self-seeking, to follow Jesus.
Chapter 37, In Short.
1. In relinquishing yourself, you find Christ.
2. How shall I resign myself?
3. How can you be Christ’s, unless you are inwardly and outwardly stripped from your own will?
4. Partially resigning yourself is a sign of lack of trust in God.
5. By forsaking yourself, you shall enjoy great inward peace: Die to yourself and live eternally to Christ.
Chapter 37: The Pure and Entire Resignation of Self, for the Obtaining Liberty of Heart
Christ: “My Son, relinquish yourself and you shall find Me. Stand without choosing or any thought of self-seeking, and you shall always gain. For greater grace will be added to you as soon as you give up yourself and as long as you do not take yourself back again.”
2. Disciple: O Lord, how often shall I resign myself, and in what things shall I lose myself?
3. Christ: “Always – every hour: in that which is little, and in that which is great. I make no exception, but will that you be found naked in all things. Otherwise, how can you be Mine and I yours, unless you be both inwardly and outwardly stripped from your own will? The sooner you apply this, the better you will be. And the more fully and sincerely you do it, the more you will please Me, and the more abundantly you will be rewarded.
4. “There are some who resign themselves to Me, but with reservation because they do not fully trust in God. They think that they must make some provision for themselves or to stay busy. Others offer everything at first, but later, being pressed by temptation, return to their former ways and make no progress in virtue. Unless they entirely resign themselves and offer themselves up daily as a sacrifice they will not attain the true liberty of a pure heart. Nor will they receive the grace of My sweet companionship. Without this, the union of fruition neither exists nor remains.
5. “I have said to you, and now say again: Forsake yourself, resign yourself, and you shall enjoy great inward peace. Give all for all; demand nothing, ask for nothing in return. Stand purely and with no hesitation in Me, and you shall possess Me.
You shall be free in heart, and the darkness shall not weigh you down. Aim for this, pray for this, desire this, that you may be delivered from all self-seeking, and thus naked, follow Jesus naked, that you may die to yourself and eternally live to Me. Then all vain imaginations, disturbing evils, and unnecessary cares will disappear.
Then also shall excessive fears depart from you, and inappropriate love shall die.”