Seeing Him Within

by Miguel de Molinos

  

First you should know that your spirit is the very center, the habitation, of the kingdom of God (Your center IS the kingdom of God). Your Lord reigns upon His throne, with rest, in that place. Whatever the Lord sends into your life, there is no disturbance in that place. For your good and for the profit of your spirit He will allow an envious enemy to trouble this city of rest, this throne of peace. Troubles will come to your in the form of temptations, tribulation, subtle suggestions. Anything and everything of God's creation may become involved in troubling you.

How are you to deal with such things? How can you be constant, and cheered in your heart in the midst of all these tribulations? Enter into that inmost realm, for it's there you may overcome outward surroundings. Within you is a Divine fortress, and that Divine fortress defends, protects and fights for you. Observe, please, a man who has as his house a great fortress; that man is not upset though his enemies pursue him and surround him. He need only retreat into the great citadel. YOU have a strong castle (deep within you) that will make you triumphant over all enemies. Yes, those which are visible and those which are invisible. That castle dwells within you NOW, regardless of all snares and tribulations, IT IS THERE! Within it dwells the Divine Comforter. Retreat there, for THERE all is quiet, peaceful, secure and calm.

Why seek the Lord by means of straining the brain, in searching for some place to go to pray, in selecting points to discuss, and in straining to find a God without. . . when you have Him within you? We simply shall not find our God without. Nor shall we find Him by means of reasoning and logic and surface information. Each of us has Him present within us. There seems to be a blindness in those believers who always seek God, cry for Him, long for Him, invoke His name, pray to Him daily, while never discovering that they themselves are a living Temple and His one TRUE habitation. Their own spirit is the seat and throne of a God who continually rests within them.

Actually, it is a good thing when you find yourself deprived of the pleasure of the senses and therefore find you must journey by the help of faith alone, yes, even to journey to the dark, deserted paths that lead to. . . where? You are not certain. Without such an experience it would be very difficult for you to reach certain places in your spiritual walk. A painful way of arriving, yes, but a CERTAIN one. Do not fall back, even though Divine discourse has left you and there is nothing for you to say in prayer. Yes, it is true in such times, your five senses have been deprived and all OUTWARD progress of OUTWARD piety ends. But know this: in such times you WILL be driven to a comfort which has nothing to do with the outward senses. Any external efforts of piety, or religion, or even of self denial will NOT work. Rather, such things will aid in shining light upon you, a light that says, "You can do nothing. ALL THINGS are in My hands and not in yours."

taken from The Spiritual Guide by Miguel de Molinos