21. The Progress and the Goal of the Praying Spirit

The Prayer of Silence

When some persons hear of the Prayer of Silence, they imagine without reason that the soul is placed in a state of dull, lifeless inactivity. But it is certain that therein the soul acts more nobly and with more enlargement than it ever did before; because in this kind of prayer it is activated by God Himself, through His Spirit. St. Paul would have us suffer ourselves “to be led by the Spirit of God.” Romans 8:14.

We do not say that the soul ought not to act at all, but only that it ought to act in dependence upon the motion of God’s grace. This is admirably described in the prophet Ezekiel’s vision of the wheels. “The wheels” which he saw, “had the spirit of life, and they went wherever they were moved, for the spirit of life was in them; but they never returned back.” Ezekiel 1:19-22. Thus ought it to be with the soul: it should suffer itself to be moved and led by the quickening Spirit that is in it, constantly following the movement of its action, and none other. But these motions of the Spirit never move one to stop or go backwards (by drawing one towards the creature or towards itself) but to go always straight forwards, advancing continually towards its end.

The Serene Movement of the Soul to its Center in God

This activity of the soul is an activity altogether quiet and serene. When the soul acts by itself, it acts with hurry and fatigue, and this makes its own action distinctly recognizable. But when it acts in dependence upon the spirit of grace, its actions are so free, so easy, and so natural, that it seems as though it did nothing. “He also brought me out into a large place, He delivered me because He loved me.” Psalm 18:19.

As soon as the soul has come into its central bent and tendency—that is, has returned within itself by withdrawal—from that instant it begins to run its course towards its center, the attractions of which give it at once the greatest vigor and the swiftest motion, for no swiftness is equal to that of its central tendency. This, then is action, but it is so noble, so quiet, and so peaceable, that it seems to the soul as though it does not act at all, because its operation is so natural.

When a wheel is slowly turning it is easy to perceive its motion distinctly, but when it moves very swiftly we can no longer distinguish anything in it; just so, the soul which continues before God in quietness has an infinitely noble and exalted action, but yet an action that is completely peaceable. The more the soul is in peace, the more swiftly it runs, because it is wholly surrendered to that spirit which moves it and makes it set.

The Divine Bridegroom

This Spirit is none other than God Himself, who draws us, and—in drawing us—He makes us to run to Him: as the Divine Lover well knew when she said, “Draw me, and we will run.” Song of Solomon 1:4. Draw me, O Divine Center, in the profoundest depth of my being; and by this, Your attraction, all my powers and senses shall run to You! This attraction alone is both an ointment which heals and a perfume which draws us; “We will run,” she says, “because of the fragrance of your good ointments.” This is a most powerful attraction, yet an attraction the soul follows most freely and which, being equally strong and sweet, both draws by its power and charms by its sweetness. “Draw me,” says the bride, “and we will run.” She speaks of herself, and to herself. “Draw me,”—mark the unity of the center and that which is attracted; “we will run,”—mark the running and correspondence of all the powers and senses, which follow the attraction of the inward ground of the soul.

The Harmony of the Creature and the Creator

Therefore we do not in the least affirm that we ought to remain idle, but that we ought to act only in dependence upon the Spirit of God. His Spirit should quicken us, since it is only “in Him, and by Him, that we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts 17:28. This meek dependence upon the Spirit of God is absolutely necessary; the soul is created in the image of God. In order to attain the end of its creation, we must abandon the multiplicity of our actions, that we may enter into the simplicity and unity of God, “in whose image we were created.” Genesis 1:27. “The Spirit of God is unique and manifold,” or many-sided (Wisdom 7:22), yet His unity does not hinder His multiplicity at all. We enter into His unity when we are united with His Spirit. When we abide in this unity we become fruitful in carrying out His will. When suffering ourselves to be led by His Spirit, we go much further than our utmost activity could carry us, for God’s actions are infinite.

We must suffer ourselves to be guided by the eternal wisdom: for this wisdom is more active than the most mobile things. “Wisdom is more mobile than any motion.” Wisdom 7:24. Let us then abide in dependence upon His actions, and we shall act indeed most powerfully.

How to Restore the Lost Image

“By the Word were all things made, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3. God created us in His own image and likeness, and He breathed into us the spirit of the Word, by that “breath of life” (Genesis 2:7), which He gave us when we were created—through this life of the Word—in His image. This life is one, simple, pure, intimate, and always fruitful. Because the devil spoiled and disfigured this beautiful image by sin, it was necessary that the same Word whose spirit was breathed into us at our creation, should come to restore it. It had to be done by Him because He is the essential image of the Father, and the (defaced) image does not restore itself by acting, but by passively yielding to the action of Him who came to restore it.

We ought therefore only to come into and remain in the condition where we are most receptive to divine impressions and most yielding to that which the eternal Word would do in remolding His image in us. An image that is always in motion hinders the painter from drawing any design upon it. All the motions we make by our own spirit hinder this admirable Painter from working, and occasion the making of imperfect strokes. We must therefore remain in peace, not moving ourselves except when He moves us. Jesus Christ has the “life in Himself” (John 5:26), and every one that would live must receive life from Him.

The Life Indeed

This action is indisputably more noble; for certainly, things have as much value or worth as the principle from which they proceed is noble and sublime. The actions of a divine principle are divine actions, whereas the actions of the creature, however good they seem to be, are but human, or only virtuous in the highest sense when they are done with grace. Jesus Christ says that He has the “life Himself.” All other things have nothing but a borrowed life, but the Word has life in Himself; and being communicative by nature, He desires to communicate His life to men. Therefore we must give way to this life, that it may flow into us. This cannot be done except by emptying ourselves, and by losing the life of Adam and our own will. St. Paul assures us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. This can be done only by the death of our self-activity, to the end that God’s activity may take the place of our own.

We do not claim that men should not act at all—only that all our doings should be dependent on the guidance of the Spirit of God, giving way to His activity in place of the creature’s. This cannot be done without the creature’s consent, and the creature cannot give this consent except by moderating its own activity, giving way little by little, so that God’s promptings may succeed it.

An Acceptable Spirit

Jesus Christ teaches us this way: Martha did good things; but because she did them in her own spirit, He reproved her. The spirit of man is turbulent and unquiet, and therefore it does little, though it might appear to do a great deal. “Martha, Martha,” said Christ, “you disquiet and torment yourself with a great many things; but after all, there is but one thing needful. Mary has chosen the better part, which shall not be taken from her.” Luke 10:41-42.

What had Mary chosen? Peace, tranquility, and rest. She ceased to act (seemingly), that she might suffer herself to be moved by the Spirit of Jesus Christ; she ceased to live, that Jesus Christ might live in her. Thus it is necessary to renounce oneself and one’s own activities, if we would follow Jesus Christ. “For we can never follow Christ unless we are animated by His Spirit.” (Romans 8:9 - paraphrased) Now for the Spirit of Christ to be brought forth in us, it is necessary that our own spirit give place to Him. “But he who is joined to the Lord,” said St. Paul, “is one spirit with Him.” 1 Corinthians 6:17. And David said, “It is good for me to cleave to God, and to put my whole confidence in Him.” Psalm 73:28. What is this cleaving? It is the beginning of union.

The Stages of Union

In this union there is a beginning, continuation, and perfect consummation. The beginning or entering into our union, is a longing of the soul for God. When the soul is introverted or turned inwards, it comes under the influence of this inward drawing, and has a strong longing for union. This longing is the beginning of union. Then the soul begins to cling to God, which makes it approach nearer to Him; then it is united with Him. From then on it comes into union—that is, it becomes one spirit with Him. Then this spirit that went forth from God returns unto Him—which is its sole end.

Divine Adoption

This divine movement, this spirit of Jesus Christ, is the way we must of necessity walk, for St. Paul assures us that “no man is Jesus Christ’s, if he has not His Spirit.” Romans 8:9. Now, in order to be one with Christ, we must suffer ourselves to be emptied of our own, that we may be filled with His Spirit. We cannot be filled so long as we are full of ourselves. St. Paul in the same place further proves the necessity of our being thus moved by this blessed Spirit, when he said, “All they that are moved by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” Romans 8:14. The spirit of the divine adoption is the spirit of a divine movement in us: therefore the apostle continues, “The sprit you have received is not a spirit of bondage to make you fear: but it is the Spirit of God’s children, whereby we cry, Abba Father!” Romans 8:15.

Only by Christ’s Spirit can we partake of His sonship; and “this Spirit Himself bears witness to ours, that we are the children of God.” V. 16. So, no sooner does the soul allow itself to be moved by the Spirit of God, than it experiences the testimony of divine sonship; and this testimony so greatly increases its joy that it gives the soul clear evidence that it is called to the liberty of God’s children, and that the Spirit which it has received is not a spirit of bondage, but of liberty. The soul then feels that it acts freely and sweetly, though with force and decision.

The Prayer of the Spirit

Paul explains that because of our ignorance concerning the things we pray for, it is vital that we be, in all things, conducted, moved, and animated by this Divine Spirit: “The Spirit,” he says, “helps our infirmities; for we know not what to pray for, nor how to pray as we ought: but the Spirit Himself prays for us with groanings which are unutterable.” This is certain: if we do not know what we want, nor yet how to pray as we ought for those things which we need; and if the Spirit that is in us, to whose moving we surrender ourselves, prays for us, ought we not then to give unlimited freedom to its workings, to its groanings on our behalf?

This Spirit is the Word, whose petition is always heard and granted. He said Himself: “I knew that You hear Me always.” John 11:42. If we let this Spirit pray and intercede in us, we will always have our petition heard and granted. And why? Teach us, great Apostle, Spiritual Doctor, and Master of the inward life! “It is,” continues Paul, “because He that searches the heart knows what the Spirit desires, inasmuch as He intercedes according to God for the saints” (Romans 8:27); that is to say, because this Spirit asks only for that which is comformable to the will of God. The will of God is that we should be saved, and that we should be perfect. He therefore asks for that which is necessary for our perfection.

Rest in God

Why, then, after all this, do we oppress ourselves with superfluous cares and waste our lives in the multiplicity of our own ways, without ever saying, “Let us rest in peace?” God Himself invites us to rest from all our labors and restlessness, and to stay ourselves on Him; nay, He complains with an inconceivable goodness, in the prophet Isaiah, that we employ the soul’s strength, its riches and its treasure in a thousand outward things, when the way to the infinite, good things that we desire is so direct. “Why do you spend money for what cannot nourish you? And your wages for what cannot satisfy you? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.” Isaiah 55:2.

Oh, that men only knew what happiness it is to listen to God in this manner, and how exceedingly the soul is thereby strengthened! All flesh must be silent in the presence of the Lord.” Zechariah 2:13. All must cease and be still as soon as He appears. Now God, to oblige us yet further to surrender ourselves to Him without any reserve, assures us by His prophet that we need not be afraid of anything in giving up ourselves to Him; because He takes care of every one in particular. “Can a mother forget her own child, and have no compassion on the son whom she has carried in her womb? But even though she should forget, yet I will never forget you.” Isaiah 49:15. Oh, words of divine consolation! Who will any longer be afraid to surrender himself to the guidance of God?