From Autobiography of Madame Guyon, by Madame Guyon
There was only Thou, O my God, who changed not for me. Thou didst redouble my interior graces, in proportion as Thou didst augment my exterior crosses.
My pleasure is to be indebted to Him for everything.
I prefer being a whole day with the worst of persons, in obedience to God, before being one hour with the best, only from my own choice and inclination.
I had at that time no other disposition than to sacrifice myself to divine Providence.
I have since loved everything in God, who has given me a very great facility to bear the faults of my neighbor, with a readiness to please and oblige everyone.
I then gave up my estate with more joy, for being thereby conformed to Jesus Christ, than they could have who asked it from me. It is what I have never repented of, nor had any uneasiness about.
He who is not content with what he has, will never be without craving desires; and he who is the prey of an unsatisfied desire, can never be content.
O blessed cross, thou hast never quitted me, since I surrendered myself to my divine, crucified Master. I still hope that thou wilt never abandon me.
The peace I enjoyed within, on account of that perfect resignation, in which God kept me by His grace, was so great, that it made me forget myself.
My peace was so profound that nothing could shake it.
The desire I had to please Thee, the tears I shed, the manifold pains I underwent, the labors I sustained, and the little fruit I reaped from them, moved Thee with compassion.
Nothing was more easy to me than prayer. Hours passed away like moments, while I could hardly do anything else but pray.
What pleasure to lose all for the Lord! The love of poverty, thus contracted, is the kingdom of tranquillity.
It seemed to me as if God more powerfully united me to Himself.
I loved without considering a motive or reason for loving. Nothing passed in my head, but much in the innermost recesses of my soul.
God took a new possession of me, and left me not.
The peculiar property of this prayer of the heart is to give a strong faith. Mine was without limits, as was also my resignation to God, and my confidence in Him.
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