Book 3, Chapter 38: The Good Government of Ourselves in External Things and Having Recourse to God in Dangers
Comment: Thomas had many duties in the monastery. He was the Novice Master. He was the head of the Scriptorium, where the monks copied and
made books. In our modern parlance, he was the Chief Information Officer or the Library Director. Doubtless, many of these activities could and did distract him from his main purpose, which was to do God’s will: through prayer and service, and using his talents in tandem with what our Lord called him to accomplish.
In our lives, there are activities and possessions outside of ourselves that distract us, from drawing closer to God. As I matured, I shed those which interfered with my relationship to God or slowed my pace at following Christ. Sometimes, the shedding was involuntary – such as losing an election when I felt God wanted me to be in public service. But that was WAY more my will than His will.
Other times, playing at hobbies or trying new activities or getting a new “toy” would occupy me for awhile, but ultimately this did not satisfy my God-sized desire. It was only a distraction. Which doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try things and see if His call is somewhere in that activity.
So I started dropping activities and getting rid of the toys. I wanted my heart to remain free to serve God. I wanted to devote myself to external activities that were in God’s will. Not always easy.
I found myself less scattered. In testing out these actions, I meant to stay on track regardless of the multiplicity of the tasks at hand. I wanted to be clear in God’s will: to do that one most important thing, which is to seek to please God. No outside actions can distract a soul which is so focused – that is, which seeks only to please God and seeks its purpose in Him.
This can be a lifetime journey, but we have recourse to prayer, fasting, godly counsel, Scripture, and of course, The Imitation of Christ.
Chapter 38, In Short.
1. You must make it your aim in all things to be free within and have power over yourself such that all things are under you and not you under them.
2. And if you have difficulty in ruling over yourself, be like Moses and consult the Lord and sometimes you shall hear the divine answer and come away instructed concerning many things present and those yet to come.
The text of Chapter 38: The Good Government of Ourselves in External Things and Having Recourse to God in Dangers.
Christ: “My Child, you must diligently make it your aim, that in every place and outward action or occupation you may be free within, and have power over yourself such that all things are under you, and not you under them.
That you are master and ruler of your actions, not a slave or hireling, but rather like a free and true Hebrew, entering into the lot and the liberty of the children of God (Rom 8:21).
Be the one who stands above the present and contemplates the eternal.
Be the one who with the left eye beholds things passing, and with the right eye the things of heaven.
Be the one to whom temporal things do not draw you into possessions, but instead draws upon these temporal things to do good service, even as God ordained them to do, and appointed by the Master Artist, Who has left nothing disordered in His creation.
2. “And if in any chance of life you do not rule yourself in outward appearances, nor judge things which are seen and heard in the fleshly sense, but now, on every occasion, imitate the actions of Moses, who entered into the tabernacle to ask counsel of God. Sometimes you will hear the divine answer and come away instructed concerning the many things present and those yet to come.
For Moses always had recourse to the tabernacle for the deciding among doubts and questions. He fled to the help of prayer against the dangers and the evil deeds of men. You must also fly to the secret chamber of your heart, and there earnestly implore divine assistance(Matt 6:6).
For this cause we read that Joshua and the children of Israel were deceived by the Gibeonites, that the Israelites did not ask for counsel from the mouth of the Lord, but being too ready to listen to the fair speeches of the Gibeonites, were deceived by their pretended piety (Josh 9:14).”