Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
“And after this He shewed a sovereign ghostly pleasance in my soul. I was fulfilled with the everlasting sureness, mightily sustained without any painful dread. This feeling was so glad and so ghostly that I was in all peace and in rest, that there was nothing in earth that should have grieved me.
This lasted but a while, and I was turned and left to myself in heaviness, and weariness of my life, and irksomeness of myself, that scarcely I could have patience to live. There was no comfort nor none ease to me but faith, hope, and charity; and these I had in truth, but little in feeling.
And anon after this our blessed Lord gave me again the comfort and the rest in soul, in satisfying and sureness so blissful and so mighty that no dread, no sorrow, no pain bodily that might be suffered should have distressed me. And then the pain shewed again to my feeling, and then the joy and the pleasing, and now that one, and now that other, diverse times—I suppose about twenty times. And in the time of joy I might have said with Saint Paul: Nothing shall dispart me from the charity of Christ; and in the pain I might have said with Peter: Lord, save me: I perish!
This vision was shewed me, according to mine understanding, [for] that it is speedful to some souls to feel on this wise: sometime to be in comfort, and sometime to fail and to be left to themselves. God willeth that we know that He keepeth us even alike secure in woe and in weal. And for profit of man’s soul, a man is sometime left to himself; although sin is not always the cause: for in this time I sinned not wherefore I should be left to myself—for it was so sudden. Also I deserved not to have this blessed feeling. But freely our Lord giveth when He will; and suffereth us [to be] in woe sometime. And both is one love.
For it is God’s will that we hold us in comfort with all our might: for bliss is lasting without end, and pain is passing and shall be brought to nought for them that shall be saved. And therefore it is not God’s will that we follow the feelings of pain in sorrow and mourning for them, but that we suddenly pass over, and hold us in endless enjoyment.”
Julian of Norwich (1343-1416) in Revelations of Divine Love (Grand Rapids: CCEL) Seventh Revelation, Chapter 15, Page 18.
While this is a long post and articulated in ancient English, there’s beautiful modern application that links to today’s Scripture. And it’s fitting to post this today, on my mom’s birthday. She loves this Scripture and exhibits the ghostly pleasance in her soul in both woe and weal, hard times and good ones. Happy Birthday mom!
Notice what Julian speaks about. She says it must have happened 20 times. Perhaps you can relate? She experienced perfect peace and then left to herself, she had heaviness and weariness nearly sweep her away. I know I experience this sometimes! And then she reports that she found endless enjoyment when focused on God.
What’s the lesson for those of us who want to exhibit generosity in woe and weal, hard times and good ones? We must remain focused on God, give Him our cares in prayer, so that we experience incomprehensible peace. That’s what the world needs most. Our generosity comes into view as showning them how to grasp the endless enjoyment their heart seeks.
God help us all with this. Lest we experience heaviness and weariness 20 times a day. As our faith grows, it seems like our challenges grow too and tempt us to worry or fear. We want the ghostly pleasance in our soul all the time. Thank you that we can trust you with everything and rest in your peace. Hear our prayer in Jesus name. Amen.