Di Third Set of Places Wey Soul Dey Stay

Life Wey Love Arrange Well-Well

Lesin Twenty-Two: Fear of di Lord

When soul finally reach di third set of places wey soul dey stay, e don stand more firm, and di chance say e go fall comot from grace completely don reduce well-well. But person wey dey these places must always remember say danger still dey say e fit fall comot from grace.

As for those wey, through God mercy, don win these battles and persevere until dem reach di third mansions [places wey soul dey stay], wetin we fit tell dem apart from ‘Blessing dey for di person wey dey fear di Lord’? (III.I. #1)

Na serious misery to live for this world! We be like people wey their enemies dey their door, wey no fit put their weapons aside, even when dem dey sleep or chop, and wey dey always fear say di enemy fit enter di fortress through one opening for di walls (III.I #2).

Di “misery” wey Saint Teresa dey talk about na di struggle wey dey always happen with temptation and falling into sin. For this life, no guarantee dey say we no fit fall, because we always dey open to danger and must always dey on guard so we no go fall back into sin. For this stage, di best way to endure these struggles na to nurture di gift of “fear of di Lord.” Those wey dey these places must work to get this holy fear. Di way she describe am really dey useful. Imagine say you dey safe inside castle, but you still know say enemies dey di door, and dem dey try all di time to break enter.

First, note say for di third set of places wey soul dey stay, person don overcome sin for di most part. So, di “enemies” dey di door, but dem no dey face us directly. For di most part, sins—even venial sins wey person deliberately choose to commit—no dey again for di lives of those wey dey di third set of places, at least no be as habit. Di sufferings wey soul dey face for di second set of places, because e dey fall into sin again and again and dey endure strong temptations, no dey again. But if those wey dey di third set of places wan remain there and even move further, dem must never forget say di enemy fit break enter again. Dem must “fear” this: fear to return to life of sin, fear to turn away from God. And that holy fear go move dem to remain watchful, as dem dey look out for di first sign say di enemy dey break enter.

Reflection: You understand wetin “holy” fear mean? Di feeling of fear no dey pleasant. But this feeling wey no pleasant fit serve good purpose when na sin we dey fear. We no suppose fear sin in di way wey go make thought of am take over our mind. Instead, we must work to develop awareness wey get sound reason and proper balance, say to fall into sin na real possibility, and use that awareness to keep us always on guard against am. How well you dey do this?

Think about di sins wey you don commit before, especially those wey temptation still dey come sometimes for you to fall into. You dey find yourself dey entertain di thought of committing those sins? If na so, time don reach to see those sins as dem really be. Time don reach to keep di bad effects of those sins clear for front of your mind, so that this knowledge fit help protect you from those temptations.

For your mind, list di sins wey you don struggle with pass, and remind yourself say you no ever want fall into dem again. Pray make God grace fill you with holy fear, firmly make up your mind say you no go ever commit dem again, and move forward with holy confidence for God power to keep you firmly rooted for His grace.

Lord wey holy pass all, You full of pure beauty and perfection for every way, and You dey invite me to share for Your holy life. Abeg, fill me with di gift of holy fear so that I go learn to hate every sin, turn away from am with disgust, and never fall into am again. Abeg, especially free me from di temptations wey I don face before, and always help me turn to You whenever I dey in need.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Twenty-Three: No Be Every Time Person Dey Behave Like Saint

To continue to nurture holy fear of falling back into sin, Saint Teresa see say e dey help to remind her sisters say even some of di greatest saints fall back into sin sometimes, but later dem repent, do penance, and continue di journey.

Remember, plenty Saints don feel this thing as we dey feel am, and their devotion even strong far pass our own, yet dem fall into grave sin. And we no fit dey sure say God go stretch out His hand to raise us from sin again so we fit do di kind penance wey dem do.

Saint Teresa still remind her sista dem say no be all the time she don dey live holy life. In fact, for the first twenty years of her life as religious sista, she live life wey she no too send, wey she just dey manage, and wey she dey take God mercy for granted. One day, as she dey look one image of Jesus wey dem dey flog for pillar, she get one deep spiritual experience wey lead am to life of continual conversion and deeper prayer. But as she remember say she waste plenty years of her life, e make am shed “tears and feel great shame.”

E dey especially important to think about the sin of presumption while we dey these dwelling places. Presumption na sin wey make us take God and His mercy for granted, and because of this, we no dey take His call serious. We dey make our sins look small and make our virtue look bigger than e be. Presumption dey really block growth for holiness, because e dey make person pretend say everything dey fine and say e don holy reach, or at least, e holy pass most people. Dem no dey clearly see their sin and the different things wey their heart still hold on to, and this dey make am very hard to draw closer to God.

E hard to imagine say one Carmelite nun fit waste her first twenty years for convent without truly entering life of prayer. But na wetin happen to Saint Teresa be that. She take am for granted say, because she be nun, dey wear habit, and dey pray and do good works every day, that one don do. One thing wey this suppose teach us be say we fit dey follow our normal prayer routine, dey always attend Mass, and dey free from serious sin, but still never enter deep into life of prayer and conversion.

The way Saint Teresa live for her early years as sista suppose be enough reason for all of us to look well at how we dey turn to God, or how we never dey turn to Am. Even if we don pray plenty prayers for plenty years, that one no mean say we don enter deep into the castles of our souls and encounter God wey dey dwell inside us. To know this suppose make us humble. To dey humble na to dey honest. Na to honestly admit say we never enter the castle as deep as God want. Make this humble understanding move you, no matter how long you don dey act like say the call to perfection no too concern you, as you remain inside the presumption say you holy pass as you really be.

Reflection: You dey struggle with presumption? You dey think too highly of yourself and make your sin look like say e no too serious? This na dangerous habit wey plenty people dey form. The best way to fight presumption na to grow one strong desire for perfection inside your soul. Yes, perfection dey possible. Na wetin God call you to reach. If you no believe this with all your heart, then you dey struggle to take the call to perfection serious.

If you don overcome most sins for your life, no stop there. God dey call you to take the next step forward by making your prayer life deeper. You get desire to make your life of prayer perfect? You want go deeper, as you surrender every part of your life to Christ? If you no fit talk with all your heart say you get this desire, then be honest with yourself and admit say this dey block your journey towards God. Put am right by asking God to help you humbly see more clearly how you no too send His call and how you dey take His mercy for granted, so that you go fit surrender everything to God for His glory and for you to become perfectly holy.

Lord wey holy pass all, You dey always call me to come deeper, but plenty times I no dey take that call serious. Abeg, open my eyes to see the ways wey I dey take am for granted say I don holy reach, and help me see say my journey still far from finish. Fill me with deeper desire for You and strong longing to go further for my life of prayer. Make I learn to pray well and open my heart so You fit draw me into relationship of the deepest communion with You, my God.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Twenty-Four: Di Blessing Wey Dey Inside Human Weakness

Even though this line wey follow no directly concern her teaching, e still show say even the greatest saints na human beings, and dem experience some of the same struggles wey we dey experience.

I no remember wetin I dey talk, and I don stray far from the matter: because when I think about myself, my mind no fit fly reach higher things, but e be like bird wey im wings don break; so I go leave this matter for now (III.I #7).

You don ever feel say your mind be more like bird wey im wings don break, instead of eagle wey dey fly high towards the heavens? This comparison no be only for wetin our mind fit do. Plenty things wey we dey face for life dey remind us of our weaknesses. Maybe sleep dey hard you, and you dey turn from one side to another for most of the night, and this dey frustrate you. Maybe you dey struggle with depression because some chemicals for your body no balance well. Maybe you feel say you no fit control how your body parts dey work together well, and you wish say you sabi sports more. Maybe your body no dey turn food to energy well, and e dey hard you to keep your weight from increasing.

If you don fall inside di trap of thinking say di great saints different from you well-well, make you think again. Every saint get struggles as dem face wetin dem no fit do as human beings and bear di weaknesses of their fallen human nature. Her writings show clearly say Saint Teresa feel say her mind no too sharp, and she dey struggle all di time to explain wetin she mean. Without doubt, editor for our time go conclude say her writings scatter small and say di way she arrange dem no too follow order. Many times, she go leave di main matter, talk long about other things, and then forget wetin she dey talk before. But even with her human weakness, God use her write some of di deepest teachings about spiritual life. So, no ever doubt say you too fit become great saint, just as Saint Teresa of Ávila and every other saint fit become.

Tink am well: Which part of your fallen human condition dey trouble you pass? True-true, sin na di biggest struggle wey all of us dey face. But apart from your sin, which other parts of your fallen human nature dey really hard for you? Some things dey wey your body no fit do, wey you dey always think about? Your mind no sharp reach as you wish? You dey struggle with other situations for life, for work, or inside your home wey dey weigh you down?

Too many times, we dey see our weaknesses as things wey dey block us from becoming holy and happy for life. But many times, na di opposite be true. For almost every case, God fit use wetin be your biggest cross and struggle bring glory to Himself. If God fit use Saint Teresa, wey feel say her mind no too sharp and wey dey often struggle with sickness for body, produce some of di deepest spiritual teachings for di history of di Church, then God fit use you, even with your weaknesses.

Think well about those things for your life wey dey discourage you and wey look like say dem dey stop you from rising high. As you identify dem, make an act of faith: declare your trust say God fit use your human weaknesses bring glory to Himself. Believe am, open yourself to His touch wey full of skill, and allow Am use your weaknesses do great things.

God Almighty, Your power great so tey You dey choose weak people and make dem strong. Na this way You dey receive di greatest glory, and You dey do many great things through us inside our weaknesses. Abeg, use my greatest weaknesses bring glory to Yourself. Work inside me and through me in ways wey only You fit do. As I dey see wetin I no fit do, free me from discouragement, and help me know say nothing dey limit You, not even my weaknesses.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Twenty-Five: Wetin Plenty People Fit Reach

Di good news be say e really possible to enter these third places to dwell. Saint Teresa believe say “many people like this dey” wey don do so.

Make I return to wetin I begin explain about di souls wey don enter di third mansions [places to dwell]. No be small favour God don show dem, but very great one, as He make dem fit pass through di first difficulties. Because of His mercy, I believe say many people like this dey for di world… (III.II #8).

These people na those wey want please God and wey sincerely want avoid all sins, even venial sins. If dem fall into venial sins because of human weakness, dem dey quick confess dem to God so that dem no go turn dem to habit, and dem dey work hard to avoid each sin again. Many times, dem dey succeed. Dem dey do acts of penance like fasting and denying themselves some things, to keep their bodily desires under control. Dem dey pray regularly through meditation and gathering their mind and heart together inside. Dem dey use their time well; dem no dey waste am on foolish things. Generally, their life dey well arranged, dem dey show love to other people, and virtues dey show clearly for their life.

Those wey dey di third places to dwell still far from perfect, but dem no dey fall into sin regularly again. This one dey free dem from many of di sufferings inside wey those for di second places to dwell dey bear. As long as these people continue to nurture di spiritual gift of fear of di Lord and di virtue of humility, and dem no give up their desire to make their prayer life deeper, dem go begin find peace inside and continue to move forward.

Tink am well: You believe say you fit dey among di “many” wey enter di third places to dwell? Without any doubt, you fit. E fit be say you don already dey live for these places to dwell. Think about di qualities of those wey dey live here. Dem dey work hard to avoid all sins, even venial sins. Dem dey pray every day, and many times, dem dey keep God and wetin He want for their mind throughout di day. Dem no dey follow worldly ways, and desire for riches no dey control their mind. Dem get peace about who dem be as children of God. Na so you be?

If one or more of these qualities no dey show for your life, no worry. Since plenty people dey reach this level of holiness wey dey inside di third set of dwelling places, know say you too fit reach am. Think about di qualities of these holy souls wey you never fit follow, and then think about how these souls take overcome where dem fail. Go back to di second set of dwelling places, or even di first set, and think about di lessons wey dem teach for there. Work to overcome every sin. Build strong habit of prayer. Nurture desire for holiness wey go fill your whole heart, and work to make every virtue for your life stronger.

If di way dem describe person for these dwelling places match your life, then rejoice because of that. Use di gift of holy fear remind yourself say e always dey possible to fall back into your old sins, lose your virtue and break your habit of prayer. Make firm decision say you no go allow any of these things happen. Think too about di fact say di third set of dwelling places no be di end. No remain here for di rest of your life. Commit yourself to move forward, and continue to keep your heart open to that path as God dey show you am.

Lord wey dey give pass all, plenty of Your sons and daughters don reach these third dwelling places for their journey inside their soul towards You. I pray make I dey among these holy souls as I dey pray faithfully, grow for virtue, and avoid sin. Abeg, never allow me draw back for di journey; help me make I always move forward. Abeg, dear Lord, show me di way wey go help me move forward best, and give me di will and desire to press on for my journey.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Twenty-Six: To Desire Am No Dey Enough

Even though plenty people dey reach di holiness of di third set of dwelling places, e easy to remain stuck for these dwelling places, even though those wey dey live there get desire to dey perfect.

O Jesus! anybody fit talk say e no desire this great blessing, especially after e don pass through di main difficulties? No; nobody fit! All of us dey talk say we desire am, but e need more than that before di Lord go get complete rule over di soul (III.I #9).

Desire alone no reach to make person perfect. For this point, Saint Teresa continue by recalling di story of di rich young man for di Gospels. This story dey very important to her, and she dey return to am more than once.

To begin, she use di image of di rich young man as person wey represent those wey dey live for these third dwelling places. Remember say this young man get two valuable qualities. First, e dey faithful for following di Ten Commandments. E talk say e don dey keep dem since e young. So, this good young man don largely overcome all serious sin, and e dey live good life wey follow wetin right. Apart from di good life wey e dey live, this young man show one important desire wey those for these dwelling places dey get. E desire to dey perfect. “Teacher, wetin I must do to dey perfect?” na wetin e ask Jesus.

When we think about this rich young man, we often dey think about how e go away with sadness. But before we rush reach that sad ending of im discussion with Jesus, e important to see say e dey live upright life and e desire to better pass as e be. In fact, e desire to dey perfect. Those wey dey for di third set of dwelling places get these good qualities too. Dem hardly dey fall back into sin, dem don build good habits, and dem desire true holiness.

Reflection: You see anything for this rich young man wey resemble you? You dey keep yourself free from sin and desire to dey perfect? We hope say you dey do so. If na so, then settle down and think about di image of this rich young man as e dey come meet Jesus with di eagerness of youth. E dey proud to tell Jesus say e dey regularly avoid every sin. And e dey eager to tell our Lord about im desire to dey perfect. You too get these good qualities?

If you never get these same qualities, then continue to go back to di earlier lessons so that you fit reach this point. But if you get these qualities, then think about wetin Jesus answer am. “If you want to dey perfect, go sell wetin you get and give to di poor, and you go get treasure for heaven. Then come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). How you go respond if Jesus give you this kind invitation?

If you get desire to become perfect, the next step na to make up your mind say you go work to become perfect. Desire alone no enough. We must choose to put that desire into practice. We must choose to do wetin fit look too radical and extreme to other people. We must free our heart from attachment to everything for this world, so that we fit hold on fully to God and His holy will alone. You ready to do this? You ready to do anything wey e go take to become saint? If you no ready, tell yourself the truth. No waka comot with sadness; instead, allow your heart find relief as you discover those things for your life wey must change. Think deeply about your desire to become perfect, and work to turn that desire into action.

Lord of perfection, You dey call all Your sons and daughters to become perfect. Abeg, fill my heart with this desire, and continue to keep me free from everything wey dey block am. As this desire dey grow inside me, abeg, give me the strong mind wey I need to turn this desire into action. Make nothing block me for my journey towards You. I reject everything wey dey compete for the love wey I suppose give You and the way I suppose serve Your holy will. Help me, Lord, make I no ever waka comot from Your invitation with sadness, but make I accept every invitation wey You give me.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Twenty-Seven: One Thing Wey Dey Cause Dryness for Prayer

Saint Teresa still use the rich young man as example of person wey him prayer dey dry:

Since I start to talk about these rooms wey soul dey stay, I dey always get am for mind, because we be exactly like am; na this dey very often cause the serious dryness wey we dey feel for prayer, though sometimes other things still dey cause am. (III.I #9).

She continue to explain say plenty people for these dwelling places go experience dryness for prayer. Dem be like the rich young man. Dem dey regularly avoid sin, and na God dem dey desire. The problem be say dem never ready to do wetin dem need to do to become perfect, just as the rich young man no ready to sell everything wey e get, give the money to poor people, then follow Jesus.

To become perfect require everything from us. For the rich young man own case, no be say the plenty property wey e get na evil. Instead, the problem be say those things dey stop am from following Jesus completely, without holding anything back. Jesus want much more from am, and e for get far more happiness if e realise say the spiritual riches wey e desire get value so great that e worth am to leave every other thing behind, especially those things wey dey compete for him heart.

Saint Teresa explain say dryness for prayer at this stage dey often happen because we no ready to go deeper and to free our spirit from attachment to everything wey still dey tie us down. If we want become perfect, we must allow our prayer to remove every attachment for our life. Everything must go. We must hold on only to God and His perfect will for our life. When we refuse, we go waka comot with sadness. This refusal to free ourselves from attachment dey often cause dryness for prayer, because when we no respond to God with zeal for prayer, our prayer dey dry up.

We suppose see dryness for prayer as gift. If na our refusal to go deeper cause am, then na we be the cause. If we recognise this, e go help us identify the attachment wey no dey proper, wey we must let go so that we fit experience the comfort wey God dey give once again. Notice say Teresa still mention, “though sometimes other things still dey cause am.” The other kind of dryness na gift wey dey come for the next kind of prayer, wey people generally dey call “infused contemplation.” For that case, na God Himself dey remove all spiritual sweetness to help our soul grow for wetin e fit receive and to make our resolve stronger, as E dey purify us from even the smallest attachments wey our own effort no fit remove. We go understand this more clearly for the fourth dwelling places.

Reflection: You dey find say your prayer dey dry sometimes? If no be so, rejoice for the sweetness wey God dey give, and allow am lead you for your journey. But if you find say your prayer dey look dry, then think about wetin dey cause am. Start by examining the way wey you dey pray. When you dey meditate, you dey try to remove every other thing wey fit distract you? You dey spend enough time for prayer? You dey focus deeply on God? You dey seek His quiet, gentle voice?

If you fit answer “Yes” to these questions and you still dey experience dryness for prayer, then spend more time to think about the rich young man. Think about how e refuse to go deeper. E waka comot with sadness because e no fit give everything to God. When e go pray, him prayer for surely dry because e no ready to take the next step. Think about wetin that “next step” be for you. Wetin you dey hold on to wey God want make you let go?

When prayer na true prayer, e go always bring good results. For beginning, e dey bring sweetness and strength. E dey help us see things clear and understand them. E dey build the good qualities for our life and remove our sins. As you dey pray, think well about your prayer life and examine am carefully. If e no dey bear good fruit for your life, even though you dey sincerely try, then make you ready to discover wetin fit dey cause am. Look for other things wey your heart hold too tight. When you find them, work to let them go with joy.

My Lord wey dey ask for my whole self, You na jealous God wey want receive everything wey we be, so that You fit give us everything wey You be. Abeg, help me see those things for my life wey dey stop me from giving You my whole self and from receiving the full gift of Your life inside my soul. Make I never choose the things of this world wey dey pass and no dey last instead of You, because to choose You for everything na the only way to the fullness of life wey I want from the depth of my heart.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Twenty-Eight: Consolation Wey Person Dey Receive for Prayer

Plenty ways dey wey person fit receive comfort for life. Even sin fit bring one very basic kind of comfort wey come from desire of the flesh, strong passions and desires wey no dey in order. Na why people dey sin be this! We no dey sin because e dey make us miserable, but because some pleasure dey wey we first receive from the sin, even though that pleasure no dey in order.

Those wey don enter the third places wey soul dey stay don discover how comfort from the flesh and from this world fit deceive person. Dem no dey live in sins of the flesh again, chase high position, or desire material comforts—at least, dem no dey do these things seriously and intentionally. Instead, dem don find new level of comfort and satisfaction inside their heart wey come from thinking deeply about God and serving Am. To serve God through prayer and good works dey sweet person. E dey bring delights inside their soul wey dey move them to continue for the road of holiness. But if dem want become perfect, dem need to free their heart even from these spiritual delights wey dem just discover, so that dem fit discover something wey deep pass for the later places wey soul dey stay. Even though na God dey give these first kinds of comfort, time go reach when God go gradually help person stop depending on them, so that He fit carry the person go much higher.

As una don read, na the Divine Majesty dey often give these comforts to the weakest souls, wey I suppose no go exchange them for the strong mind wey Christians wey dey serve God in spiritual dryness get: we love comfort pass the cross! (III.I #15)

The comforts wey Saint Teresa dey talk about fit get the name “comfort wey person fit feel.” Na comforts wey come from God through prayer and good works, but na mainly inside our feelings, emotions, passions and mind dem dey. Dem dey bring deep understanding and strong conviction, encouragement and drive, delight and excitement. Dem dey make us want serve God because to serve Am dey sweet us.

As time dey go and person dey mature for faith, God go call the person to serve Am without these comforts, because e easy for person to hold those good spiritual feelings too tight. But this fit shake person wey don begin depend on these good spiritual feelings.  If, as dem mention for the reflection before this one, we feel dryness for prayer because we no gree let go of something wey our heart hold tight in a way wey no good, then to let go of that thing na the remedy wey go bring us back to the comfort wey person fit feel, wey God want give us. But if na no be this kind attachment dey cause am, then e fit be sign say God want gently carry you go deeper, as you learn to love Am without receiving good spiritual feelings.

For this point, e go help if the person NO look at how e dey feel, but at wetin e dey do. For the end, na inside the will—the power to choose—person dey find the deeper power of conversion, no be inside spiritual feelings. E dey help soul wey dey this condition to choose to serve God no matter how the person dey feel. To pray, even if the person feel say e no dey gain anything from the prayer. To endure trial inside the soul as sacrifice of love, instead of as something wey dey cause pain.

Saint Teresa point out say when person fit choose wetin God want despite any trials inside the soul, like dryness and loss of comfort wey person fit feel, the person dey make great progress for spiritual life and reach new level of humility. In particular, the person dey learn say e hold the good feelings wey e receive from serving God tighter than e hold God Himself. This understanding get plenty value.

Reflection: You don experience comfort wey person fit feel for your life? If na so, then na good thing. Those comforts come from God. As long as God dey give you these good spiritual feelings, allow them to comfort you, strengthen you and guide your steps towards Am. So, begin by thinking about whether you dey regularly experience comfort wey person fit feel when you dey pray.

If na so e be for you, ask yourself this question: “Wetin go happen if these good feelings disappear?” Wetin you go do if that one happen? Know say di good feelings wey dey come from prayer of meditation, di joy wey dey come from doing wetin God want, and every other kind of spiritual consolation na gifts wey you suppose receive. But also know say these good feelings no be di highest gifts. Dem no be God Himself. So, think deeply whether you dey ready to serve God no matter how you dey feel. If you feel dry and empty inside, and no be any fault of your own cause am, you still dey ready to tell God “Yes” to wetin He want? You don make up your mind to use your power to choose, so that you go choose to love God even when e seem say His presence dey far and you no fit sense am clearly?

If you want grow deeper and later enter di fourth set of places wey soul dey stay, and even go beyond dem, you must dey ready to let go of everything wey no be God. Good spiritual feelings join too. Think deeply about this truth, so that when God begin to gradually take this spiritual “baby food” from you, you go dey ready to accept di loss with peace and joy. When good spiritual feelings no dey again, and person fully accept that loss, di person go receive peace wey deep pass before, clearer understanding of wetin e dey live for, spiritual strength, and spiritual joy. As we let go of these spiritual gifts from God wey dey lower, we dey prepare to receive spiritual blessings and delights wey high far pass dem, for level wey we no even know say e dey exist.

Lord of true holiness, I want dey holy, no be just to feel say I dey holy. I thank You for all di spiritual consolations wey You don give me throughout my life. Thank You as You don use these ways encourage me, guide me, and strengthen me. I pray say, as I dey move forward for my journey towards You, I go dey ready to let go of these good feelings wey I receive for di beginning, so that my decision to serve You go strong, no matter wetin happen.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Twenty-Nine: Wetin Pass Natural Sense to Judge Matter Well

As we don mention before, we fit call people wey dey di third set of places wey soul dey stay “souls wey dia lives dey well arranged.” But sometimes, dia lives dey so “arranged” reach say dem dey resist to move further.

Dia love no strong enough to pass wetin dia reasoning dey allow; I wish say e strong reach so—so that dem no go satisfy to dey crawl for dia way to God: that kind slow movement no go ever carry dem reach di end of dia journey! (III.II #9)

People wey dey di third set of places wey soul dey stay don receive plenty favours from God. For di beginning of dia journey, dem don turn from sin to God in many ways for dia lives, dem don learn how to meditate well, dem understand di Scriptures and di teachings of di Church, and dem hold dia faith with plenty zeal. But because dia lives dey well arranged, sometimes dem fit even use “careful judgement” too much, as Saint Teresa dey joke with love.

Careful judgement and reasoning wey make sense na good things. But di problem with living only by too much human reasoning be say we go end up directing our lives by ourselves, instead of allowing God to direct us. God wisdom high far pass our own. His ways no dey against our human reason, but dem high pass am. God ways pass wetin we fit understand by reasoning from wetin we already know. So, if you want grow well for holiness, you need take one step with faith and set aside plenty of di judgements wey your natural sense of caution dey lead you to make. You need seek new wisdom, put on new mind, see yourself for new light, and allow wetin God want to take hold of wetin you want. Di main way to do this na to surrender your will to God, no be to use force keep your will inside di limits of your small understanding of wetin you think say go good pass for you. This one need trust wey deep well-well. When you act on this trust, you go discover say sometimes you dey do things wey you no fully understand how dem make sense, but dem dey do you plenty good. No be every time you go understand immediately wetin God dey do inside your soul, but you go allow Him to work and put your whole self for His care.

Di opposite of trust in God na fear wey no good for person and wey dey hold person down so e no fit act. Person wey dey too careful dey fear to do wetin e need to do to move forward for spiritual life. E dey fear hard penances. E dey fear to pray too much. E dey fear to forgive other people. E dey fear to grow for virtue. E dey fear to trust God with im life. E dey fear to make di changes wey e need for im life, and e even dey fear to admit di things wey need to change. So, e dey live life wey e fit control, and e no gree relax im guard to allow God show am wetin e truly need.

Reflection: You trust God? E fit be say you trust Am, at least reach one level. To trust God mean say you must let fear go. When you sense say God dey call you to do something wey look difficult, e easy to let your human reasoning take control and bring different reasons why you no suppose do am. Na fear dey work so. You dey do this kind thing often? Think about something wey you believe say God want make you do, then try examine di reasons why you don avoid am. Fear and too much concern for yourself join wetin make you avoid am?  For example, God fit call you to fast with only bread and water, but your human reasoning go fight against am, dey tell you say e no reasonable for you. You must learn to take that bold step of faith and no let your reasoning control you.

If you trust God deeply, then when you sense say E dey call you to do something wey look difficult, you no go hesitate to answer Am. You go “enter inside fire,” as dem dey talk, for no other reason except say God don ask you to do am. Which sacrifice God dey call you to make? Which holy service E dey ask you to offer Am? Which change E want for your life?

God want make you commit yourself to spend extra time for prayer, even if you no feel like doing am? E dey ask you to accept one kind of penance, like fasting? E want make you avoid some kinds of entertainment, gossip, and other things wey fit lead you to sin because you know say dem fit lead you to sin? E want make you reach out to person wey things no dey go well between una? E want make you forgive more deeply?

Reflect on how ready you dey to do anything wey God want from you—no matter wetin e go cost you, no matter how difficult e be. Drive all fear away. Reject am and no ever allow am control your life. If you do this, you go open yourself to trust God more deeply, and this go make wetin you want agree more and more with wetin God want.

My Lord wey I fit trust, You dey call me to live life wey holy reach di root. To accept Your perfect will need deep love, complete freedom from attachment, and deep surrender. Help me answer Your holy will with trust. Help me tell You “Yes” even when e difficult to accept Your will. Make I trust You far more than I trust myself, and serve You for everything.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Thirty: Person Need More Humility

If you want move pass di third set of rooms, humility alone no enough. You must use all your heart seek “humility wey deep reach di root.”

…humility wey deep reach di root na di main thing. I believe say na lack of this humility dey stop people from moving forward. E fit look like say we never go far: we suppose believe say na so e be, and say our sisters dey move forward far quicker than us. No be only to wish make other people see us as di worst among everybody; we suppose try make dem think so (III.II #12).

Wetin be “humility wey deep reach di root?” E pass to just recognize your sins. Na to understand your soul as God dey see am. E mean say you dey see yourself for di light of God glory. You dey see di things wey your heart cling to and your sins. You still dey see your virtues and di plenty good things wey God don do for your soul. To gain this knowledge dey produce di deepest kind of humility. E dey make you know yourself deeply as you dey gain freedom from even di smallest attachment wey no dey in proper order.

Different ways dey to gain this pure and deep knowledge of your soul. As we don mention before, when you no dey feel spiritual comfort for prayer, e go help free you from clinging to di first experiences of spiritual comfort wey you don receive and begin depend on. Apart from that, to willingly deny yourself some things and do penance go still help. To deny ourselves some things good for us, no be because those things wey we give up must be bad, but because we need to fit recognize every kind of self-love wey we get, so that we fit free ourselves from dem and cling to only di will of God.

To grow for di virtue of humility fit be hard work. Many times, e go take time to grow for this virtue because to gain am involve process of discovering who you be. Small small, you must recognize all di selfishness wey dey inside your soul. You must discover di ways wey you dey depend on yourself more than you dey depend on God. You must search for every way wey you dey refuse to respond to God grace with all your heart. These things wey you discover about who you be as God dey see you na di road to deeper humility. Na only as your life of prayer dey deepen you fit travel this road.

Dryness for prayer, denying yourself, penance, accepting suffering with your own free will, and every other kind of mortification go help you free your heart from everything wey no be God Himself, so that na only God go give you the deepest joy. This kind freedom from attachment go lead to deep prayer, and deep prayer go make you humble. You go become humble when all the shallow comforts wey dey crowd your heart don clear comot, and your soul remain alone to see God, to see itself as God dey see am, to find joy for God’s will, and to serve only Him.

Reflection: You dey humble? Pride na habit wey dey make us get wrong picture of ourselves. Pride dey blind us, and we go continue to put ourselves for centre, care only about ourselves, follow only our own direction, and see ourselves as greater than we really be. To grow for humility na to clear all these false and selfish pictures wey we get of ourselves, so that we fit see ourselves better as God dey see us. You don make up your mind to follow this process?

One practical way wey we fit grow for humility na to deliberately put aside all the judgments wey we don make about ourselves. As you look inside your soul, try to forget everything wey you believe about yourself. If you think say you dey holy, try to discover your sin. If you think say you get one virtue, look for the ways wey you still lack that virtue. Put aside all the judgments wey you don form about yourself over time, and ask God to give you new eyes to see yourself.

You dey ready to accept the truth? To seek humility no be any other thing apart from to honestly seek the truth about who you be. Make you never fear to discover things about yourself wey you never understand. This go only dey possible if you accept say you certainly no know yourself the way God know you. Without any doubt, your heart still hold on to some sins wey even you no dey aware of. Make up your mind to follow this journey of discovery, so that God fit help you understand your soul better, then use that knowledge to help you bring yourself more fully in line with His perfect will.

My humble Lord, Your humility dey perfect because You know Who You be completely. Abeg, free me from the wrong pictures wey I get of myself, and show me the many ways wey I no dey bring myself in line with Your perfect and holy will. As I make up my mind to follow this deeper journey to know myself, dear Lord, abeg guide me along that road.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Thirty-One: To Obey Without Delay

No be comfort wey person receive for life dey make person holy; na greater love. But many times, we dey choose comfort instead of love wey no dey seek its own gain and wey dey make sacrifice. This greater love dey happen when you choose God’s will just because na God’s will, no be because e easy or e dey sweet you.

To do this by yourself hard. Na why Saint Teresa advise her sisters make dem rely on a spiritual director to help dem bring their own will in line with God’s will. She talk say the best way to do this na to “obey without delay” the spiritual director.

Souls wey God’s mercy don bring reach this level…go gain plenty if dem practise obedience without delay. Even if dem no dey live religious life as brother or sister, e go good make dem, like some other people, get a spiritual director, so that dem no go ever follow their own will, wey be the cause of most of our troubles (III.II #18).

For Teresa, to find good spiritual director hard. She no want spiritual director wey get “too much prudence.” Prudence good, and na something wey human reason dey do. But if person wan rise high reach heaven, the person need a director wey understand truths wey pass wetin human reason fit understand by its natural power. The director need to understand spiritual dryness, how to respond to trials and other kinds of suffering, how to remove every attachment to sin, and how person fit bring imself completely in line with God’s will. This no be small work!

Even though most people no go get spiritual director to help dem the way Teresa recommend, e good to understand say e fit really hard to use our own prudence guide ourselves reach the highest level of holiness.

Even if you no get spiritual director wey you fit rely on, to practise obedience without delay dey very useful for spiritual life. This practice dey start when you make firm decision for your spirit to do anything wey God ask you, no matter wetin e be, no matter how hard e look. This willing spirit, wey ready to talk “Yes” the moment you understand God’s will, get great value. In fact, as you dey work to train your will to do anything wey God ask, the very moment wey He ask, you go dey more ready to hear His voice and answer am with love.

Wetin to think deeply about: To do wetin God want no dey always sweet for body, at least no be immediately. You fit accept this truth? You ready to do wetin look difficult and wey no sweet you, just because God don ask you to do am?

As you dey look inside your soul, things dey wey you think say God fit want from you, but you dey resist? Try identify wetin these things be. First, look at any way wey you dey tend to resist inside you. Usually, this dey happen when we begin find reasons to dismiss wetin we think say God fit dey ask us to do. For example, one day you fit sense say you suppose give up something, change one habit, or add one habit to your daily life. When you sense this, you fit still notice say you dey resist am, and because of that, you quickly push the idea comot for mind. No do like that. Start by considering anything wey you dey regularly resist.

Sometimes we dey resist wetin we ourselves want, and that one good. But to obey wetin God want without delay must become habit. If obedience go become habit for your soul, try resist that resistance wey dey inside you. In other words, try do things wey you no immediately feel like to do. If you sense say God want make you spend extra ten minutes for prayer, then do am immediately, without hesitation. And make sure say na complete extra ten minutes. If you remember somebody wey you dey vex with, and you know say you suppose forgive the person, then forgive the person inside your heart immediately. No analyse am too much; just act. As time dey go, this spiritual practice go help you respond to God’s grace more easily and more quickly, the moment He begins to work on your will.

My Lord wey dey ask much from me, You dey call me to obey You always, with all my heart, the moment You speak. Help me learn to know Your gentle voice and to pay far more attention to You than to wetin I myself want. Make I overcome my desire to follow only wetin I want, and always obey You without delay, so that my will go agree more completely with Your own for everything.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey dwell inside me, I love You, I trust You, I surrender my life to You.

Lesin Thirty-Two: How Other People Dey Inspire Person

Too many times, trials for life dey make us lose courage. Whether na when prayer dry for us, when we no want leave shallow pleasures, or when some other difficulty come upon us, plenty trials like these fit stop us from soaring high as we dey serve according to wetin God want.

E dey give us courage to see say other people fit accept trials wey we think say we no fit submit to, and say dem dey bear them with gentle spirit. As dem dey fly, e dey make us try soar high too, like young birds for nest wey older birds dey teach. Even though dem no fit fly far at first, small-small dem dey imitate their parents: I know the great benefit wey this dey bring (III.II #18).

Some souls for these places wey soul dey stay dey too proud of themselves, and dem dey behave as if dem better pass others, even though that picture no be true. Dem quick to tell others how good dem be, and dem dey notice the sins of people wey dem dey talk with. This na real danger, and we must work to do the opposite. Instead of looking for how to advise others, we suppose turn to them for guidance. But we no go ever seek the guidance wey we need unless we first tell ourselves the truth and admit the things wey confuse us, our weaknesses, our failures, and our fears.

If one trial or difficulty for life dey overwhelm you, no cover am up or pretend say e no dey. Instead, let the example of others wey don also endure trials like that and come out victorious inspire you. We need the witness of these holy and strong souls to help us understand say, through God’s grace, we fit endure anything.

For these third places wey soul dey stay, Saint Teresa identify plenty trials like these. Think of yourself as small bird wey never sabi fly. Look to people wey virtue dey clearly show for their life. Learn from their example. Listen to wetin dem dey talk. Ask them for guidance. Admit say you need help. Know say, with God’s help, you fit learn no be only to fly, but to soar reach the heights of grace, as you dey also rely on the witness of other holy servants of God.

Wetin to think deeply about: Who you know wey truly dey inspire you? Who dey give you courage and help you believe say you fit go further for spiritual life? Seek out these holy souls because you need their witness.

Today, because of the benefit of the Internet and even social media, all of us fit reach many more people. If you no get the blessing of close friendship with somebody wey dey inspire you and whose life dey bear witness to holiness, then look for that kind person elsewhere. Maybe one spiritual director dey online wey dey publish sermons, reflections, and talks about spiritual life. Maybe some articles dey nourish your soul well.

Look well at your relationships and the people wey dey pass message through modern ways of communication, so that you go fit know the people wey God wan use to speak to you. Make you dey sure say God go bring this kind people into your life when you need dem. With humble heart, turn to their testimony and the example wey dem dey show, and allow God to draw you come close to Himself through dem.

Lord wey holy pass all, You dey come to me in plenty different ways. You dey speak through my prayer, through the Scripture wey I dey read, and through other people. Abeg, help me to recognise those holy souls wey You wan use as instrument of Your love and Your will. Make I turn to You with humble heart through the inspiration wey dem dey give me.

Most Holy Trinity wey dey live inside me, I love You, na You I trust, I hand over my life to You.

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