Di Fourth Set of Places to Stay
Lesin Thirty-Three: Prayer Wey Pass Human Nature Dey Start
As person receive invitation to enter dis fourth set of places to stay, im life begin change for one completely new way. Na for dis point di gift of supernatural kontemplasyon wey God de pour directly into di soul begin. But because of dis, e hard to understand dis places to stay unless you don experience dem yourself.
Now wey I begin write about di fourth set of mansions [places to stay], e necessary, as I don talk, to put myself for di hand of di Holy Spirit and beg Am to speak for me from now on, so dat I go fit explain dis matters for way wey people fit understand. From dis point, dem begin pass wetin human nature fit do, and e go really hard to talk about dem clearly, unless His Majesty take am upon Himself to do am for meโฆ (IV.I #1).
Saint Teresa talk say, for dis places to stay, โdi mind no fit give people wey never experience dem one clear understanding of dem.โ But people wey don enjoy dis places to stay โgo easily understandโ how she describe dem.
E good to start with humble understanding say plenty people never enter dis places to stay. Because of dat, e fit hard to understand dia beauty and di experience of kontemplasyon wey God de pour directly into di soul, as Saint Teresa describe am for dis chapter and di chapters wey follow. If e hard for you to understand how she describe dis places to stay, use di confusion as chance to grow for humility, as you accept say you never reach here.
To use one comparison, imagine say you be pikin wey de live for one village wey far well-well from everywhere, for di poorest country for di world. You never see television, motor or large buildings. You never experience electricity or even tap water. Na only di simple life of di poor village wey you de live you know. One day, your papa tell you about di wealth wey dey for di big cities of plenty developed countries. E describe motors, films, tall buildings and electronic gadgets. Even though you understand wetin e explain, your understanding still small because you never experience dem yourself. Later, when you don become adult, you fit leave your village for di first time and travel go one of dose cities, where you experience everything wey your papa tell you about. As you enter motor for di first time, visit tall buildings, go cinema and use iPad, you suddenly understand through your own experience how small di thing wey you understand before be. Now wey you don experience everything yourself, wetin your papa describe make much more sense.
Even though di material things of dis world no reach at all to make good comparison with di new and very real world of kontemplasyon prayer wey God de pour directly into di soul, di hope be say dis comparison go help make am clear say to learn about dis kind prayer for book different well-well from to experience am yourself. When God begin give one soul di grace of dis kontemplasyon, dat soul no go ever want leave am. Di soul begin discover one world wey e only hear about before but never experience by itself. Now wey e don experience am, e no go ever want return to di places where e de stay before.
Reflection: You know say one completely new world of prayer de wait for you? Dis na di prayer of supernatural kontemplasyon wey God de pour directly into di soul. Na one glorious world wey words no fit describe. When dis new life of prayer wey God de pour directly into di soul begin, you no go ever want let am go.
If you never experience dis depth of glorious prayer, reflect on di fact say e dey. Know say God de wait until you ready before E give you dis gift. You must learn to live fully for di first three sets of places to stay and pass through dem before you fit enter here. You don commit yourself to dat journey? Wetin you need to do so dat God go invite you to enter dis places to stay?
Take time reflect on anything for di previous chapters wey you never learn to live out fully for your life. Make firm decision to pass through dose places to stay, so dat God go open di door to di most beautiful places wey you fit ever visit inside di castle of your soul.
Most glorious Trinity, You de dwell deep inside me. Inside di deepest room of my soul, You de dwell with radiance and beauty wey nothing fit surpass. If na Your holy will, abeg invite me to come deeper. Free me from di many things wey I still hold on to, wey de keep me away from Your full splendour. I say โYesโ to You and to everything wey You want do inside my soul.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.
Lesin Thirty-Four: Sweetness for DevotionโDevotion Wey Person Fit Feel
Before Saint Teresa reflect on dis completely new world of kontemplasyon wey God de pour directly into di soul, wey person receive inside di fourth set of places to stay, she show di difference between di experiences of prayer for di first three sets of places to stay and di experiences wey begin for di fourth. She explain say, for di first three sets of places to stay, meditation de produce โsweetness for devotion.โ
As e be for my mind, wetin we dey gain for ourselves through meditation and petitions to our Lord fit bear di name โsweetness for devotion.โ Na natural thing, even though na God grace dey help am for di end (IV.I #4).
Dis โsweetnessโ resemble any natural experience of excitement and natural joy. For example, if you dey for sports team and una win championship, dis go bring natural sweetness wey come from your feelings and desires. Or if person for your family sick well-well and later recover, di natural relief and joy go show well.
For di same way, di sweetness wey person dey experience through meditation for di first three places to stay dey start from ourselves and end for God. E dey come from our own effort as we dey seek and think deeply about God mysteries, and dey find natural joy for wetin we discover. For example, if you meditate on one particular passage for Scripture, and through dat meditation you come understand one difficulty for your life, dis go make you feel joy. Dis na good thing, and grace dey help am, but e still mainly be natural experience inside di feelings and desires of your body. For person wey just dey begin prayer, dis sweetness na great delight.
You fit get di same experience when you face your sins and sorrow touch your heart. Dis deep feeling of sorrow, wey fit even make you shed tears of shame and guilt, na natural result of how you come recognize your sins and your need to repent from dem.
To experience dis kind feelings no dey make you holier, but e fit give you emotional push to help you make good decisions and move further. Di good decisions wey you make dey become acts of love, and those acts of love dey benefit your soul well-well. Since part of where dem come from na God work for your life, dem usually dey point you for di right direction, and help you make di decisions wey God want make you make.
Reflection: You don ever feel sweetness because of your prayer? Your prayer don ever bring very good feelings, desire to change, and desire to pray more? If na so, dis na good thing. Na natural emotional response to how you discover God and His will. Enjoy those experiences well.
Before you learn about di deeper spiritual consolation wey Saint Teresa go describe for di rest of dis chapter, take time think deeply about di blessings of dis first natural good feelings of sweetness for devotion. If you never truly experience dem, then time don reach for you to learn how to meditate well. Meditation on di Scriptures, adoration of di Blessed Sacrament, praying di rosary, examining your conscience, and every other kind of prayer for mind go bear plenty good fruit if you practise am well.
If you never experience dis sweetness wey dey come from devotions and meditations, then think about another thing wey don give you sweetness, like to win game, go holiday, finish one big task, or receive very good news. How you feel for those moments? As you dey think deeply about di sweetness of those moments, know say di prayer of meditation for mind go bring similar feelings. Wetin you discover for your meditations go make you dey excited about God. Give yourself fully to meditation, and allow yourself to begin dat journey. After you don practise prayer for mind for many years, you go fit understand and experience wetin di descriptions wey follow dey talk about concerning supernatural contemplation, if God choose to grant you those gifts. So, di best way to prepare yourself for everything wey dey come next na to return to di lessons of di first three places to stay, so you fit practise dem as perfectly as you fit.
Lord wey Your greatness pass all, abeg teach me to pray. Help me journey through di first three places to stay by turning away from every sin and by practising di prayer of meditation well. As I dey learn to meditate on di most glorious mysteries of our faith, abeg fill me with wonder and deep reverence as I dey discover Who You be and as I dey sense Your deep love for me. Make di prayer of meditation become part of my life so well dat, for di end, You go call me deeper and closer to You through di prayer of infused contemplation.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.
Lesin Thirty-Five: New Recollection Wey God Dey Give Directly
For di first time for her writings, Saint Teresa describe one new kind of prayer wey many people don later call โPassive Recollectionโ or โInfused Recollection.โ Na state of prayer wey person dey experience just before di prayer of quiet.
For di first three dwelling places, Saint Teresa talk about di way to pray wey many people now dey call โGathering di Mind with Your Own Effort.โ By โwith your own effort,โ we mean say na kind meditation wey anybody fit practise by imself. Na when you deliberately close your eyes and turn your mind inside yourself to meditate on how God dey dwell inside your soul. For this prayer, you dey see your soul as di castle wey she don describe, and you deliberately use your own effort ponder on God wey dey present inside you. This na one kind meditation.
Now, for di fourth dwelling places, Saint Teresa talk about another kind prayer wey resemble this one but wey deep well-well, because e no be something wey you fit start by your own effort again. This kind gathering of di mind โwey no come from your own effortโ na โsupernaturalโ; e no be natural thing, and e no be result of human effort.
This na one kind gathering of di mind wey I believe say na supernatural. Person no need withdraw go one side or close im eyes, and e no depend on anything outside di person; without di person deciding to do am, di eyes go suddenly close and di person go find quietness alone (IV.III #1).
She talk say this prayer be like tortoise wey dey draw enter inside im shell. Although tortoise dey choose to do this, for this kind prayer, na God command make di person withdraw inside. Through one special supernatural grace from God, di person dey get direction to close im eyes and enter inside imself to dey with God. Before this moment, di person fit don experience how im imagination dey wander go other places outside di castle. Even though e dey try meditate, im thoughts dey dwell on plenty worldly pictures and even sinful ones. But when God give person this prayer of gathering di mind wey no come from di person own effort (wey be supernatural), e be as if di loving Shepherd dey blow Im sweet flute for di person, dey call am make e return to di castle. Di music sweet so much that di person dey follow di notes, dey return to God wey dey dwell inside. Di soul no know how this dey happen, but e dey happen, and di person dey withdraw inside to listen quietly as God dey play Im loving music for am. Na God dey take di first step; di soul just dey respond and follow.
Reflection: You don ever sense say God dey call you to silence? You don ever feel something dey draw you to close your eyes and withdraw inside yourself? This one different from when you dey try do am by your own effort. Na when God directly invite person that person dey practise this prayer.
Think about one shepherd wey dey blow im flute softly as e dey try call im sheep wey don wander make dem come back to am. Na this God dey do for you without stopping. Im flute dey sound all di time, but many times we no dey hear am. We dey go about our daily life with plenty-plenty things wey dey distract us, and we no dey recognise di invitation inside this beautiful song of grace.
If you never sense say God dey call you enter this silence inside you, then go back to di lessons of di earlier dwelling places and practise gathering your mind with your own effort. Deliberately look inside yourself to discover God wey dey present there. Look for Am, search for Am, and give yourself fully to searching for Am with care and commitment.
If you sense say God dey call you with di silent and beautiful music of Im grace, close your eyes and give this song your full attention. Allow Am lead you enter inside yourself, where E dey dwell. No ignore Am. Follow as E dey lead you, and Im loving music go slowly surround you and lead you to Himself.
Master Musician wey love pass all, You dey always call me, dey draw me come to Yourself, but many times I still dey ignore di way Your song dey move me. Abeg, help me remove di many other distractions for life wey dey struggle to take my attention, so that I fit hear every silent note wey You dey play and follow dem come to You.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.
Lesin Thirty-Six: Di Prayer of Quiet
Once person don enter through di prayer of gathering di mind wey no come from im own effort, as we don describe before, e don ready for wetin Saint Teresa dey call di prayer of โSpiritual Consolations,โ wey dem also dey call di โPrayer of Quietness.โ
Spiritual consolations, on di other hand, dey come from God, and our human nature dey feel dem and rejoice for dem as deeply as e dey rejoice for di other ones wey I describeโin fact, far more deeply (IV.I #4).
No be everybody God dey give di prayer of quietness (di prayer of spiritual consolations), and we no suppose try get this kind prayer by our own effort. Instead, di only thing we must seek na to imitate our Lord by accepting all di suffering for this life without wavering, and making our suffering a spiritual sacrifice wey we offer in union with our Lord own perfect Sacrifice. If God want give us this prayer, E go give us. We no fit do anything to merit am, and we no must seek am as one favour. To try get am no just be effort wey no fit produce result; e dey even stand for di way of receiving am.
When God choose to give your soul the prayer of quietness, you go discover say this prayer dey start from God and end inside you. This one different from meditation, because meditation dey start from you, through action wey you start by yourself, and e dey end for God through the spiritual sweetness wey you fit feel inside your strong feelings. For the prayer of quietness, the soul no dey do any work of im own; e just dey receive wetin God dey do. The only responsibility wey the soul get na to agree to wetin God dey do, because God don choose to act, no be because the soul don merit anything. So, the best response dey inside the fiat of our Blessed Mother, wey talk say, โMake e happen to me as Your word talk.โ
During the prayer of quietness, the heart dey open more, expand and become wider. Saint Teresa dey quote Psalm 119:32 again and again to describe this experience. E talk say, โbecause You go make my heart wideโ or โwhen You make my understanding wider!โ This experience wey pass nature dey give the heart more capacity, like say natural spring of water dey fill basin wey dey continue to expand as the water dey flow from inside. The imagination dey become quiet and well gathered for God, but na the will this kind prayer dey affect pass. The will dey experience deep spiritual joy without any effort. The soul dey at peace, and na only to love God e want.
As person dey experience this prayer of quietness, im mind fit dey face im daily work, but love don fill im will completely. Na only to love e want. Im spirit dey experience new freedom. The gift of the reverent fear wey child get for im father dey increase, and the person dey choose say e no go ever offend God, simply because e love God deeply. God dey give the soul new and deep confidence, so that e fit depend on God alone. The person dey seek self-denial and suffering because of love for God. E dey experience humility for new and deeper level, because e no dey seek im own interest; na only God and wetin God want e dey seek. E dey feel strong dislike and contempt for worldly pleasures. Finally, clear growth dey for each of the virtues wey come from God and pass nature: faith, hope and charity.
Reflection: You don ever experience this kind prayer? If you never experience am, no worry. E dey take surrender and purification wey deep well-well before your soul go ready properly to receive this spiritual gift. But as you know say this kind prayer dey, that one suppose encourage you to work with dedication through the first three dwelling places.
If God don give you this gift, you go know. You go understand. Rejoice for this gift. Thank God for am, and choose say you no go ever offend God, even for the smallest way. Continue to empty yourself of every desire to seek your own interest, seek the deepest humility, renounce all worldly pleasures, and let these new things wey you dey discover about these spiritual gifts from God fill you well. You no deserve them. You no do anything to merit them. But even so, God don give you them. Receive them and continue to thank God with all your heart.
My Lord and my God, when You come to me from the depth of my soul, and make my spirit know Your divine and spiritual presence, all wey I fit talk na โYesโ and โThank You!โ I agree to You, dear Lord. I agree one thousand times and more. I dey repeat this agreement wey no get end, even though I no worthy, I dey wretched, and I dey weak. Thank You for taking control of my prayer.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.
Lesin Thirty-Seven: Signs of Love
As person begin to experience the prayer of quietness, e must understand the main fruit wey this prayer dey produce, and that fruit na love. We must understand spiritual love for this level properly.
Love no be the great sweetness wey person dey feel for devotion. Instead, na strong determination to strive to please God for everything, to avoid, as far as person fit, anything wey go offend Him, and to pray make the glory and honour of His Son increase and make the Catholic Church grow (IV.I #7).
Spiritual love wey don become pure no be strong feeling wey you dey experience through the powers of your body (your emotions, strong feelings or desires). No be the sweetness wey person dey experience for devotion. No be to feel good and desire God. Saint Teresa dey explain wetin love of God mean for three ways. First, love na strong determination to strive to please God for everything. Second, na to avoid everything wey go offend God. Third, na to pray and work make the glory and honour of God increase and make His Church grow.
E important make we understand this meaning of love, because the word โloveโ often get plenty meanings. Plenty times, we dey see love as the strong passion wey we get for something wey dey draw us. But this kind love low well-well compared to the love wey person dey experience for these dwelling place dem during the prayer of quietness. Even person wey dey commit serious sin fit โloveโ things with this kind strong passion. When love rise reach this new supernatural level, e no dey seek anything for self again. E truly become love wey dey make sacrifice, wey no dey selfish, and wey dey give self. The person no dey love because the thing wey e love dey attract am, because this โattractionโ often still get self-interest inside, and that one show say perfect humility never dey. Instead, for this new supernatural level of love, the person dey focus on the other (God and His will), no be because of any strong passion wey dey draw am, but because God dey draw the person come near. So, love start from God and come dwell inside us. Because of this, na God be the person whole focus, no be e own self. The selfish desires wey dey inside natural kinds of love go disappear as supernatural self-giving, adoration, willing sacrifice, and service take hold of the person.
The love wey the person get for God still dey make am notice well anything wey fit offend God. As e come know these things, e dey avoid them, no be because e fear punishment, but because na only to give God wetin belong to Him and fulfil wetin love demand e want. Wetin this deep kind love demand na to glorify God and honour Him for every way, and to work for the salvation of every soul wey God love, without ever counting wetin e go cost or even thinking about the cost. This deep love dey move person to give everything to God and His will.
Reflection: Wetin you love pass for this life? Talk true to yourself about am. Na money, something wey you like to do for leisure, your work, or your family? E fit be say you love plenty things for this life.
Think about how God want make na only Him and His will be wetin your love dey focus on. To do this na the deepest act of trust in God and of surrendering yourself completely to Him. Na one way to talk say you trust Him to take charge of your life and direct you only as His will be.
This deep love go surely allow God to direct you to love your family and other people. E go direct you to build up His Kingdom for earth. But everything wey you do go be for God, because of your love for God.
Today, think deeply about the things wey you love. Consider whether the things wey you love dey come from wetin God command or from your own will. Unless na God start any love for your life, that love must be cleansed away and wiped out completely. Allow God to draw you come meet Himself through the deepest kind of prayer, so that Him go fill your whole being and you go seek only to please Him for everything.
Lord wey beautiful pass all, You deserve all my love. Na only You and Your will must become wetin my love dey focus on. Abeg, cleanse me from every selfish love, and set my spirit on fire so that I go draw near You so completely that I no go love anything apart from You and Your divine will.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.
Lesin Thirty-Eight: To Struggle with Wetin Mind Dey Imagine
As Saint Teresa dey reflect on wetin she herself experience for her soul, she discover something wey e dey very helpful to understand as person dey advance for prayer.
Na through experience I learn, just small pass four years ago, say our thoughts, or to call am our imagination go make am clearer, no be the same thing as our power to understandโฆSince the power to understand na one of the powers of the soul, e dey puzzle me to see how e dey slow sometimes, while, normally, the imagination dey fly go at once, so that na only God fit control amโฆ (IV.I #8).
As you dey think deeply about yourself, e important make you see yourself as one person wey get many different parts. Among the different parts wey you go discover inside yourself na your body, spirit, power to understand, will, memory, imagination, strong passions, feelings, and bodily desires. For the end, every part of who you be must become fully taken up in God and submit completely to Him as He take divine possession of you. But as you dey advance for prayer, you go discover say no be every part of yourself dey unite with God at the same time or to the same extent.
One difference wey Saint Teresa point out from her own experience, and wey fit help us, na the difference between intellect (wey dem also dey call human power to reason or understand) and imagination. E easier to bring intellect under control than imagination. Na with intellect we dey use wetin we already know reason reach conclusion, and na there we dey receive the spiritual gifts of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and counsel. But memory and imagination be like things wey really different from intellect. During the prayer of quiet, wey person dey experience for the fourth dwelling places, your human will dey at peace as e dey enter deep into the will of God. Your intellect too dey begin find rest for God, but e no go fully rest until the prayer of union for the fifth dwelling places. But memory and imagination go still dey restless for the fourth dwelling places. For example, during the prayer of quiet, e dey often happen say memory go bring one idea give imagination, and imagination go begin run anyhow, here and there, even as your will still dey focused on God at the same time. Your human power to reason (intellect) go help you turn imagination back to God, but imagination fit no always agree to come under control for this stage.
If this one confuse you, no worry about am. For now, wetin fit help you to know be say imagination and memory no too useful for this level of prayer. Dem dey try distract the soul from the quietness wey e dey enjoy as your will dey rest for God. Sometimes, the devil go even bring false thoughts and memories wey no go help you, so that e go distract you.
When you dey deal with these distractions for prayer, the best thing to do na to remain at peace, focus on the love of God wey E pour into your will and wey you discover there, and try to bring your imagination back into union with God. Do am gently, again and again and again. No give in to the thoughts wey fit don suddenly begin run anyhow for your imagination. Recognise them, know say dem no come from God, and try replace them as you turn your loving attention to God. This one important because sometimes, as person begin receive the prayer of quiet, im restless imagination go distract am so much that e go give in to false and confused thoughts, and lose the rest wey e get with the will of God. E fit even think say one idea for im imagination na God dey speak to am, and e go begin give the idea all im attention. But wetin go follow na loss of peace for heart, more thoughts wey imagination dey produce and wey person no fit control, and finally, confusion and lack of peace for the whole person.
Reflection: Your imagination dey run anyhow sometimes when you dey pray? Most likely, e dey happen. Know say, for this stage of prayer, this one no fully dey under your control. Na only God, through one gift of prayer wey deep well-well, fit take hold of your imagination and memory and give them rest.
Try understand the difference between your memory, human power to reason (intellect), will, and imagination. For this stage, try give most of your attention to your will. If you experience the prayer of quiet, then lovingly pay attention to the quietness wey you dey experience inside your will. Notice the new strength wey e get as e dey receive the spiritual gifts of fear of the Lord, reverence, and fortitude. Thank God for these gifts, and allow them grow.
As you dey reflect on how God don lovingly take possession of your will, notice too how your imagination dey try fight you. These ones na temptations from the evil one and your fallen human nature. Pray make God protect your imagination. Ask God to protect am and give am peace. Turn am back to God as you lovingly fix your attention on Him. No allow am distract you, take over your thoughts, confuse you, or lead you go wrong way. Leave imagination alone, and focus only on wetin God dey do inside you. Rejoice for that work wey God dey do, and trust say E dey pleased every time you gently bring your wandering imagination back, as you peacefully fix your attention on Him.
Lord wey get power pass all, You know everything and You fit do everything. You love me with perfect love, and You care for my soul pass as I ever fit care for am. Abeg, help me surrender my imagination and memories to You so that dem no go distract me from You and from everything wey You want do inside me. You don bring my appetites and passions under control. O Lord, help me continue for the road of prayer so that I go fit surrender everything wey You never fully take possession of.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.
Lesin Thirty-Nine: Understand Yourself
As Saint Teresa dey write about the earlier dwelling places, she explain how e important make you know yourself through humility. Here, she dey teach similar lesson. No be only the condition of our sins and virtues we must know about ourselves; we must also understand our human nature.
We dey pass through terrible trials because we no understand our own nature, and we dey take wetin no only harmless, but even good, as serious fault (IV.I #9).
For the lesson wey pass, we look more clearly at imagination. Saint Teresa still dey think deeply about imagination and about how, for these places to stay, imagination fit cause plenty suffering for soul wey no understand itself and wey wrongly think say na serious fault of its own make its imagination dey waka about.
She explain say na one of two things dey cause imagination to dey waka about. First, the devil fit dey tempt the soul with countless thoughts wey no dey in order. Second, e fit just be the result of human nature wey don fall.
If you wan understand yourself, you must work to understand wetin dey make your imagination no fit rest, especially during prayer. Na your fault? No be completely. True, sometimes your past sins dey come back to trouble you during this deeper kind of prayer, so you get some blame, even though no be you directly cause am. Also, na your sin make you never surrender yourself fully to God. But no be you always be the direct cause; many times, na the devil dey try separate you from the oneness with God wey you dey enjoy for your will. You fit get thoughts wey dey make you feel guilty, regret things, or doubt God love for you. The aim na to gently put those thoughts aside as well as you fit, as you understand say dem no be anything other than temptations from the devil.
Your thoughts wey dey waka about fit also come from the weakness of your human nature wey don fall. The truth be say, na Original Sin cause your human nature to fall. This fallen condition get plenty bad effects wey no come from personal sins, so dem dey outside your control. Your understanding fit seem slow, your strong feelings fit scatter, your body fit tire, and your imagination fit no gree rest. Again, e important to know whether na your sins make you cause all this. If no be so, then make you no worry about the thoughts wey dey waka about. Instead, rejoice say you get the chance to dey bring your mind back to God again and again, and to gain merit every time you do so. The merit wey you gain dey come especially as your will dey grow stronger, as you dey choose again and again to turn back to God for prayer. So, to gently struggle with imagination wey dey waka about fit become good spiritual exercise wey dey prepare you for more.
Wetin to Think Deep About: You know say your will dey grow much stronger every time you bring your imagination back to God? This na good thing, and e go prepare you more fully to discover more of God own life inside your soul.
Wetin you dey do when something distract you during prayer? You dey give in to those distractions and thoughts wey dey run wild? You dey vex with yourself? You dey leave prayer because you think say the struggle no get any use? If na so, then you dey allow the devil win and keep you away from the countless graces wey dey wait for you.
Think deeply about yourself, the temptations of the evil one, and your human nature wey don fall. Make you get peace about who you be, and know say God love you. Continue to surrender yourself to Am and trust Am pass how you trust yourself. Know say na only Him fit free you from the burden of imagination wey you no fit control. Gently allow Am take control.
My blessed Lord, You know me far beyond wetin I fit measure, pass how I know myself. You know my struggles, sins, weaknesses, and temptations. You know every thought of mine wey dey waka about and the struggles wey I dey pass through. Abeg, continue to pour Your grace into my soul as my will dey rest in You. As You hold my will, make this help me continue the struggle and let go of everything for my life, so that one day, You and You alone go possess me completely.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.
Lesin Forty: Five Ways to Get Humility
To dey humble na the key. Na as we gain this holy virtue we go best prepare ourselves to receive much more. As a virtue, humility go grow deeper as you grow deeper for prayer, and every small trace of pride wey remain go become clearer as your prayer dey grow deeper.
So, practise wetin I advise for the mansions wey come beforeโdey humble, dey humble! Because God dey allow this one overcome Am, and E dey grant us everything we ask for (IV.II #8).
One proof wey go show you say you don begin receive this deeper kind of humility na that you know, with deep certainty, say you no deserve the gift of the prayer of quiet wey you don receive. You understand say you dey receive this gift, but you know say God give you am purely as His gift, and no be because of anything wey you do to merit am. You realise say you no fit do anything to merit this gift, and you humbly know say you no suppose even try to obtain am. Saint Teresa give five reasons why we no suppose โmake any effort to obtainโ the graces of the prayer of quiet. Instead, we suppose only keep ourselves open to receive dem if God choose to grant dem.
The first reason be say the main way to receive the prayer wey soul dey still na to love God without looking for our own gain. If we try to get this higher kind of prayer by our own effort, na our own gain we dey find. We go dey try to get something for ourself wey we no fit get. Even though e fit first look like say we suppose try to get am through our effort, we must understand say this desire for our own gain na one kind pride wey dey very hard to notice. When we leave every effort to get the prayer wey soul dey still, we go dey put all our trust in God, and acknowledge the truth say na only God fit decide whether He wan give us this gift. We must work towards the holy attitude of accepting whichever way God choose, and only agree to receive this grace if He choose to give am.
Secondly, if we think say we fit do anything to get this gift of the prayer wey soul dey still, then we dey deceive ourself. Humility no be any other thing but to know the truth say our โwretched servicesโ no fit ever merit this gift. Na gift 100%, and our effort no fit merit am.
Thirdly, for our own part, we must grow the desire for our hearts to imitate how our Lord freely accept His sufferings. We must accept all suffering and run from the desire for comfort. If God give us divine comfort wey we experience inside the prayer wey soul dey still, we must thank Him with humble heart. But we no suppose ever desire that comfort. Na only the Cross we must desire, and we must strive to live life of sacrifice, because na that be love.
Fourthly, the divine comfort wey God often dey give for the prayer wey soul dey still no be something we must get before we fit receive salvation. We suppose desire the gift of eternal salvation, since God don bind Himself to save us by grace when we surrender to Him in love. But since He never promise us comfort for this life, we no suppose ever go dey look for am.
Lastly, if we make effort to look for this divine comfort, na work we dey do for nothing. Na effort wey no fit produce result, because nothing dey wey we fit do to make God grant us this comfort. Nothing! To work to get am na effort wey stand on dishonesty with ourself. Humility always mean say we dey live according to the truth.
Reflection: You dey desire comfort from God? Most likely, you dey desire am. Be honest, and if you discover any desire for this comfort wey dey come with the prayer wey soul dey still, put that desire aside. If God want grant you this comfort, He go grant am. Na God go decide that one, no be you. Try to leave every desire for your own gain as you grow for the deepest virtue of humility.
You trust God? If na so, how deep that trust be? E deep reach to trust say God go give you wetin you need when you need am? If na so, then na only God you suppose desire, no be any comfort or other spiritual gifts wey God fit choose to give you.
Think well whether na the gifts of God you dey regularly pursue or na God Himself. Choose to pursue God and only God. Turn to the Cross, and choose to accept suffering in union with the sufferings of our Lord. Seek only to imitate Him, and He go do wetin you need for you.
My glorious Lord, abeg, make me humble reach the fullest extent. Help me discover every kind pride wey dey come from desire for my own gain. Help me stop to pursue spiritual comfort and pursue only You, wey be the God of comfort. Make I learn to love the Cross and seek only to imitate You for Your humanity, as I leave every other thing to Your holy will.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.
Lesin Forty-One: To Continue to Persevere
E dey help make we continually remind ourself say, as long as we still dey this side of Heaven, the battle never finish.
We no suppose think say all these effects dey happen just because God don show these favours once or twice. We must continue to receive them, because the whole well-being of the soul depend on how often e dey receive them. I strongly urge those wey don reach this state to take the greatest care to avoid every occasion wey fit lead them to offend God.
First, Saint Teresa explain say e no enough to reach this higher state of prayer, then relax your dedication to prayer as if you think say you don safely arrive. This kind prayer must become habit as we dey receive these graces again and again, so that dem go continue. No be say we fit form the habit through our own efforts. Rather, we dey form the habit by continually receiving the prayer wey soul dey still, wey God Himself dey pour into the soul when He grant am. As time dey go, our power to choose dey learn to respond to these graces and rest inside wetin God want. As this dey happen, the virtues dey grow strong, humility dey increase, and the soul dey get used to wetin don become โnormalโ for am.
Saint Teresa compare this prayer to small baby wey must suck im mama breast. โThe soul never stand strong well for virtue, but e be like newborn baby wey just begin suck im mama breast: if e leave im mama, wetin e fit do apart from to die?โ The soul dey receive this โmilkโ as im power to choose dey rest inside wetin God want, and e dey enjoy the grace of this spiritual food. But make you watch well! If the person wey receive this new spiritual food turn away from am, as Saint Teresa talk, โwetin e fit do apart from to die?โ So, to continue without giving up dey very important. We must never turn away and stop to drink this spiritual milk.
The โdyingโ wey she dey talk about na how serious e be to fall comot from grace through grave sin for this point of the journey. Souls for the first set of rooms fit dey fall into serious sin often and turn back to God more easily. But when soul fall from this fourth set of rooms through grave sin, โdem dey fall lower than other people.โ The devil go prefer well-well to snatch one of these souls pass one thousand other souls for the first set of rooms. So, we must dey watch well and continue to pray.
Reflection: How much you don commit yourself to pursue holiness? People wey don reach this fourth set of rooms don go far well-well for spiritual life, and dem don surrender themselves to God very deeply. But make you watch well! The devil go still dey like lion wey dey prowl around, dey look for every way to deceive you.
Even if God don begin give you the gift of the prayer of quietness, know say the journey still far from finish. Keep your eyes fixed firmly on your God. Continue to drive away all foolish temptations, and know say because you be human being, e always dey possible to fall comot from grace.
The devil get plenty ways wey e dey use. You know about them? You know say e dey come meet you like angel of light, dey tempt you to seek only your own interest and dey offer you false comfort? Watch well. Continue without giving up. Trust God and continue to pray. Pray every day, and make effort to pray throughout the day. Allow God to build the habit of prayer inside you, so that you go always know say E dey with you, and your power to choose go always remain deep inside wetin E want.
My beautiful Lord, as I dey gaze on You and discover Your beauty for the fourth set of rooms, love dey fill me. I dey stand in awe of You, and I want remain with You forever, dey draw closer and closer to the centre of my soul where You dey stay. Abeg, give me grace to continue without giving up. Protect me make I no fall comot from grace, and keep me humble always.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.
Lesin Forty-Two: Di devil โconsolationsโ
As person begin experience the prayer of quietness, the chance say e go fall into serious sin dey reduce. Since the evil one know say im hold on people for these rooms don reduce, e dey change the ways wey e dey use.
Sometimes, the devil dey offer fake versions of the graces wey I don mention: e easy to detect this oneโthe results dey completely opposite to the results of the real ones (IV.III #11).
For the prayer of quietness, God dey take hold of the soul power to choose, and the soul dey enjoy this spiritual union of love well-well. God never fully take hold of the power to picture things for mind, but that power too dey begin experience more peace. Saint Teresa talk say during this prayer of quietness, na only few words we need to tell our Lord from time to time, as we dey use our power to picture things for mind. Many times, just to gaze on God with love dey enough to keep the mind occupied. Since the devil know say e dey lose im power to tempt the person with serious sin, sometimes e dey offer false comfort to catch hold of the power to picture things for mind and draw the power to choose into confusion.
For example, while person dey this state of prayer, im power to choose fit experience great joy and satisfaction. Because of this, the devil fit tempt the mind to focus too much on that joy. When this happen, the person fit begin deceive imself, dey think say e must be extremely holy and dey experience some kind of rapture or ecstasy. Without knowing wetin dey happen, the person begin focus only on imself and pursue this fake joy. E dey lead the power to choose to pursue am by entering one kind of โdrunkennessโ wey no come from God. Even though this drunkenness no go lead the person into serious sin immediately, e go stop the soul from moving forward to the next level of prayer: โSpiritual Union.โ
The best advice for this state of prayer na to continue to give God your attention gently, instead of to focus on yourself. If you notice say wetin you dey picture for your mind don begin carry you away too much because e look like spiritual experience, pray the Our Father gently and slowly. Or turn your attention back to God and away from yourself by saying words of praise and adoration inside your heart. If none of these ones work, stand up and do some other service for God, to turn your mind away from this attachment wey don too much to wetin you think say na spiritual experience.
E dey important to understand say prayer of quietness, when e truly be prayer of quietness, no go leave you when you dey do your everyday activities. You fit be both Martha and Mary at the same time. You fit cook and clean, drive go work, and do your everyday duties, as long as all of them dey among wetin God want for you. As you dey do your duties, wetin you want go remain one with wetin God want, and you go continue to know this and find deep spiritual joy inside am. So, one good way to test whether the spiritual comfort wey you feel truly come from God na whether e still remain after you finish your prayer. If e no remain, and you feel say you need to stay completely still, as if something dey intoxicate your spirit or your spirit dey sleep, before you fit hold on to these feelings, then dem no come from prayer of quietness. Make you leave these thoughts at once, stand up and go do your duties for the day. God no go ever fill your will with burning love just to stop you from doing the acts of love wey E don call you to do throughout the day.
Reflection: Devil dey cunning. If e no fit lead you enter serious sin, e go try lead you enter false spiritual comfort. Make you dey aware of this.
The best way to overcome these temptations wey no easy to notice na to never fix your attention on the spiritual comfort itself. Fix your attention only on God. You fit do this? Na spiritual comfort interest you pass God?
If God don give you prayer of quietness, know say this na only the beginning. Wait for Am; no try run go front of Am. Allow Am to lead. No take the lead. Devil go try trick you to run go front as you dey chase false spiritual comfort. No let am deceive you.
Think deeply about this: if you receive the spiritual comfort of prayer of quietness, you go know, without any doubt, say e come from God. If you no sure, then run from am and continue to look only to God.
God of pure joy, as I dey rest in You and allow wetin I want to become fully one with wetin You want, I dey feel Your powerful presence wey dey change me. Because of this, I thank You with all my heart. Abeg, protect me from every trick of devil, so that I no go ever chase false joy, but I go always remain firmly rooted in You and You alone.
Most Holy Trinity wey dey live inside me, I love You, na You I trust, I hand over my life to You.