J Heinrich Arnold-Freedom from sinful thoughts.pdf

FREEDOM FROM SINFUL THOUGHTS - D E T A C H M E N TWe deafen God day and night with our words, “Lord, thy willbe done.” But when God’s will does happen, we are furious anddo not like it a bit. When our will becomes God’s will, that iscertainly good; but how much better it would be if God’s willwere to become our will!As it is now, if you are sick, of course you do not want to bewell against God’s will, but you wish that it were God’s will foryou to get well. And when things are going badly for you, youwish that it were God’s will for you to get along better! Butwhen God’s will becomes your will, then if you are ill – it will bein God’s name! If your friend dies – it will be in God’s name!Anyone who by God’s grace unites his will purely andcompletely with God’s will has no need other than to say inardent longing: “Lord, show me what thy dearest will is, andgive me strength to do it!” And God will do this, as truly as helives, and to such a one he will give in great abundance and allperfection.There is nothing a man is able to offer God thatis more pleasing to Him than detachment. God cares less for ourwatching, fasting, or praying than for it. In short, God needsnothing more than this: that we give him a quiet heart.For those whose severe temptations still confuse themand keep them from detachment, it may help to rememberthat the mind is never a blank void. Whatever weremove, we must replace. Therefore it is critical to notonly drop everything that distracts us, but to focus ourinward eye and ear on Jesus alone. The more we are ableto look outward and forget ourselves, the more easily51