Teresa of Ávila: Perfection, Consolations, and Conformity

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Luke 22:42

“What do you think, daughters [and sons], is His will? That we may become quite perfect and so be made one with Him and with His Father as He prayed we might be. Observe, then, what is wanting in us to obtain this. I assure you it is most painful for me to write on this subject, for I see how far I am, through my own fault, from having attained perfection. There is no need for us to receive special consolations from God in order to arrive at conformity with His will; He has done enough in giving us His Son to teach the way.”

Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) in The Interior Castle (Grand Rapids: CCEL) p. 82.

When God perfects us, we may call for special consolations, but the reality is, we do well to welcome tough experiences, as Teresa puts it, to arrive at conformity with His will.

What are special consolations? Think of them as us asking God to remove all difficulty and suffering from our path. I realize after giving this further thought, that difficulties are necessary for my perfection.

What does this have to do with generosity? Everything! Why? When God moves us toward maturity and perfection, our perpetual posture of surrender converts us into conduits of divine blessing.

When Jesus surrendered His will and went to the cross not because He wanted to but because it was the Father’s will. This was his greatest act of generosity. When we follow Him in surrender, we become useful and united with Him.

Jesus we surrender ourselves to you, take care of everything. Amen.

I appreciate your prayers today as I serve as the closing plenary speaker for the Christian Stewardship Association conference. Pray for receptive hearts among the 1,000 participants.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

“Life is long and full of crosses and we have need to look on Christ our pattern, to see how He bore His trials, and even to take example by His apostles and saints if we would bear our own trials perfectly.”

Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) in The Interior Castle (Grand Rapids: CCEL) p. 134.

How do we face trials and opposition? We look to Jesus our pattern. Think about it. The evil one does not want us living, giving, serving and loving generously.

So how will the evil one try to stop us? He will throw trials at us. But when we look to Jesus our pattern and the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, we learn how to persevere.

Today, I want to throw up a prayer for all readers enduring trials. I may not understand your trial but I know what if feels like to suffer. We’ve got this. God’s got us.

God, hear my prayer for all enduring trials. As they look to Christ, our pattern, may they find help, hope, and peace from you in abundance. Hear my prayer because of Your great love. Amen.

The conference for me is going well. I appreciate your prayers. I am the closing plenary speaker tomorrow. Pray for Spirit-filled speaking and receptive hearts among the 1,000 participants. Thanks.

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. Exodus 3:1-6

“Neither was Moses able to relate more than God willed of what he had seen in the burning bush; but unless the Almighty had clearly revealed certain mysteries to his soul, causing it to see and know its God was present, the lawgiver could never have undertaken so many and such great labors. Such sublime revelations were shown him amidst the thorns of the bush as to give him the needful courage for his great deeds on behalf of the Children of Israel. We must not, sisters [and brothers], search out reasons for understanding the hidden things of God, but, believing Him to be Almighty, we should be convinced that such worms as ourselves, with our limited power of intelligence, are unable to comprehend His wonders. Let us praise Him fervently for allowing us to understand something of them.”

Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) in The Interior Castle (Grand Rapids: CCEL) p. 113.

As we explore what is needful in this classic work, Teresa uses colorful language to help us understand the generosity of God to empower us for service.

God had great deeds planned for Moses who was tending sheep.

At the moment when he saw the bush, it was for him a “strange sight” and he did not understand. God revealed himself to him. This was the beginning of his journey to service.

You might feel like Moses. You are doing some task alone in the wilderness of life.

Though next to God, we are but worms, Ask God to reveal himself to you and give you needful courage to pursue whatever great deeds He has planned for you.

I am speaking today and Thursday at the CLA 2026 Outcomes Conference in Dallas.

Pray for receptive hearts to get needful courage from God to do great deeds.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5b

“I do not know whether I have put this clearly; self-knowledge is of such consequence that I would not have you care less of it, though you may be lifted to heaven in prayer, because while on earth nothing is more needful than humility. Therefore, I repeat, not only a good way, but the best of all ways, is to endeavor to enter first by the room where humility is practised, which is far better than at once rushing on to the others. This is the right road; if we know how easy and safe it is to walk by it, why ask for wings with which to fly? Let us rather try to learn how to advance quickly. I believe we shall never learn to know ourselves except by endeavoring to know God, for, beholding His greatness we are struck by our own baseness, His purity shows our foulness, and by meditating on His humility we find how very far we are from being humble.”

Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) in The Interior Castle (Grand Rapids: CCEL) p. 27.

We have shifted from one classic to another. The next few posts will explore what is needful in The Interior Castle by Teresa of Ávila. And the header photo from Lalazar Track in Nathiagali, Pakistan reflects my hope for Daily Meditations.

Notice the tree. It’s got bright green new growth. As you read and apply the ideas in each meditation, I pray new growth appears in your life. And don’t miss at least two takeaways here to help you have generous impact.

First, choose the road or way of humility. Whatever work or ministry you have today. Approach it with humility. Or as the apostle Peter says, clothe yourself with humility. Why? God will show favor and grace to you.

Second, to grow in humility focus your energy on knowing God. Why? I love how Teresa put it, “His purity shows our foulness, and by meditating on His humility we find how very far we are from being humble.”

Father in heaven, forgive our foulness. We need to grow in humility, thank you for setting an example for us. By your Spirit help us follow it so we grow in generosity. Because of your love for us, hear this prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27

“How strict and detached were the lives the holy hermits led in the desert! What long and grave temptations they suffered! How often were they beset by the enemy! What frequent and ardent prayers they offered to God! What rigorous fasts they observed! How great their zeal and their love for spiritual perfection! How brave the fight they waged to master their evil habits! What pure and straightforward purpose they showed toward God! By day they labored and by night they spent themselves in long prayers. Even at work they did not cease from mental prayer. They used all their time profitably; every hour seemed too short for serving God, and in the great sweetness of contemplation, they forgot even their bodily needs.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) in The Imitation of Christ (Grand Rapids, CCEL), p. 24.

Today marks the last post from our exploration of “needful” themes in this classic work.

Thanks everyone for your many comments to me commending me for my sabbatical. I want to share three highlights from my sabbatical which, in many ways, was strict and detached.

Please hear these not from any place of pride but from a humble posture of testimony, sharing what I learned.

First, I did the Daniel Fast for 40 days in my sabbatical. It was life-changing. I never dreamed that living on fruits, vegetables, and water (that means no coffee) would be so satisfying.

While such disciplines appear in the words of Thomas as “rigorous fasts” they are so good for the body. I did more than lose weight and start running again. It minimized my desires for things that don’t satisfy. Try it.

Second, I focused on writing as God said to write. When we have, as Thomas calls it, “pure and straightforward purpose” God helps us. He shows up for us. He certainly showed up for me.

By God’s grace I wrote 2.5 books. I realized that this was “needful” for me. It’s what God made me to do. If you live with purpose, you too can generously give yourself to what God made you to do.

Third, I trusted in the power of the gospel and saw God work in hard places by, in the words of Thomas, using all my “time profitably.” And I measure the profit not in dollars but in souls.

The best highlight of my sabbatical came from serving the persecuted church. Four people (three from China and one from Pakistan) are now following Jesus and will be in the kingdom because of how I focused my time.

So with Thomas today, I commend you to pursue a strict and detached life. Give yourself to things that give you and others life and see what happens.

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13

“There is one thing that keeps many from zealously improving their lives, that is, dread of the difficulty, the toil of battle. Certainly they who try bravely to overcome the most difficult and unpleasant obstacles far outstrip others in the pursuit of virtue. A person makes the most progress and merits the most grace precisely in those matters wherein he or she gains the greatest victories over self and most mortifies his or her will.

True, each one has his or her own difficulties to meet and conquer, but a diligent and sincere person will make greater progress even though he or she has more passions than one who is more even-tempered but less concerned about virtue. Two things particularly further improvement — to withdraw oneself forcibly from those vices to which nature is viciously inclined, and to work fervently for those graces which are most needed.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) in The Imitation of Christ (Grand Rapids, CCEL), p. 38.

Today’s Scripture calls us to make hard decisions to zealously improve our lives.

In my sabbatical I read the book, Necessary Endings, by Henry Cloud. Therein, for zealously improving my life, I learned to give myself to things that are life giving. That’s my plan and prayer since my sabbatical is completed. Look for more energy than ever to go toward Generosity Monk.

And Thomas would urge me to withdraw forcibly from vices and to work fervently for the graces that are most needed. Why do this? If I get all the rooms in the proverbial house of my life cleaned out, I can live, give, serve, and love far more generously.

Jesus, help each of us zealously improve our lives, regardless of how hard the work might be, by withdrawing forcibly from vices and working fervently for the graces that are most needed. Amen.

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 1 Peter 3:13-14

“When Christ was in the world, He was despised by men; in the hour of need He was forsaken by acquaintances and left by friends to the depths of scorn. He was willing to suffer and to be despised; do you dare to complain of anything? He had enemies and defamers; do you want everyone to be your friend, your benefactor? How can your patience be rewarded if no adversity test it? How can you be a friend of Christ if you are not willing to suffer any hardship? Suffer with Christ and for Christ if you wish to reign with Him.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) in The Imitation of Christ (Grand Rapids, CCEL), p. 42-43.

I have completed my sabbatical.

I am back to work today. The highlight of my sabbatical was serving the persecuted church in China and Pakistan and seeing the power of the gospel draw people to choose to follow Jesus.

Notice the words of Peter.

“Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?” Wherever you are today, focus on living, giving, serving, and loving generously. No one can harm you because nothing can touch one eager to do good.

But even if you do suffer, you are blessed.

Too often we complain in hard times. The persecuted church has taught me to persevere and trust that I will someday reign with Christ.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

“Give place, then, to Christ, but deny entrance to all others, for when you have Christ you are rich and He is sufficient for you. He will provide for you. He will supply your every want, so that you need not trust in frail, changeable men. Christ remains forever, standing firmly with us to the end.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) in The Imitation of Christ (Grand Rapids, CCEL), p. 42.

People who put their trust in people are destined for disappointment. Why7 People are frail and changeable.

But when we put our trust in God, we have access to the riches of heaven and can count on abundant provision.

I am en route home from an indescribably good time of service in Pakistan. I’ll share more later.

For now, affirm your trust in Christ and celebrate that He will stand firmly with you to the end.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

“Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and His angels.” Matthew 25:41

“To many the saying, “Deny thyself, take up thy cross and follow Me,” seems hard, but it will be much harder to hear that final word: “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.” Those who hear the word of the cross and follow it willingly now, need not fear that they will hear of eternal damnation on the day of judgment. This sign of the cross will be in the heavens when the Lord comes to judge. Then all the servants of the cross, who during life made themselves one with the Crucified, will draw near with great trust to Christ, the judge.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) in The Imitation of Christ (Grand Rapids, CCEL), p. 57.

As I continue to explore what is ‘needful’ in this classic work, I love the fact that it is needful not fear the moment we meet Jesus if we have denied ourselves, taken up our crosses, and followed Him.

This inspires me to deny myself.

I want safety, but Jesus stretches me to trust Him to work in unsafe situations. I crave comfort, but Jesus calls me to Christlikeness which appears as choosing to live on mission which may not be comfortable.

This inspires me to take up my cross.

This implies the hardest thing I will ever do. It will not be easy. But if I am willing to risk everything, I gain the kingdom. If I count the cost and pay the price, the gain will be unimaginable.

This inspires me to follow Jesus.

I have learned that obedience seems hard but it is actually for my good and God’s glory. It has a cost but the cost is far less than the price of not doing it. If I obey, I experience God’s generosity.

Jesus, you did not hesitate to deny yourself and take up your cross. Help me do the same thing knowing that someday I will gain the kingdom with you. Amen.

Today is my last full day in Pakistan on this trip. Thanks for your prayers for fruitful meetings.

Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. Matthew 6:1

“It is better and safer for you to conceal the grace of devotion, not to be elated by it, not to speak or think much of it, and instead to humble yourself and fear lest it is being given to one unworthy of it. Do not cling too closely to this affection, for it may quickly be changed to its opposite. When you are in grace, think how miserable and needy you are without it. Your progress in spiritual life does not consist in having the grace of consolation, but in enduring its withdrawal with humility, resignation, and patience, so that you neither become listless in prayer nor neglect your other duties in the least; but on the contrary do what you can do as well as you know how, and do not neglect yourself completely because of your dryness or anxiety of mind.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) in The Imitation of Christ (Grand Rapids, CCEL), p. 72.

Jesus wants us to practice righteousness, which includes generous living, but He wants us to do it in such a way that we “conceal the grace of devotion.”

He loves it when we serve in the shadows. That’s my experience right now. I am in Pakistan, interacting with humble servants, whose service to me ranks at the top, worldwide.

They gave me so much love and some of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received. Moments like these will surely carry me through the hard days.

Jesus also wants us to hang in there when we await consolation. It means we exhibit humility and patience in times when it seems God has forgotten about us.

If our lives were easy all the time, we would get listless in prayer and neglect faithful activities. But if we get this right, our witness will draw people to Jesus.

God, we need your help to conceal the grace of devotion and await the grace of consolation with humility and patience. In your mercy, hear our prayer to help us by your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thanks to God’s faithfulness, I am now safely in Jhelum, Pakistan, for Kairos University meetings at the room in restaurant in the photo above. Thanks for your prayers.

This trip will bring context based theological education to people who never thought it possible to pursue such studies. It’s happening.

And for the record, I got to Pakistan before J.D. Vance to bring the peace of Christ to this region for God’s glory not by power or might but by the Holy Spirit.