When Soul Storms Meet Their Master

I re-read this article with a friend in mind. But of course it ended up speaking to my heart too:

I could restate the entire article, but instead I’ll just share one snippet:

“How do you purify your heart? How does a proud heart become a humble heart? You do not wrestle yourself down by doing penance. You can beat on yourself, resolve to mend your ways, wear a hair shirt, and still be proud. You do not destroy the tumult of self-will by sheer will: ‘I will stop being irritable. I will stop being fretful. I will stop imposing my will on the universe.’

Can the leopard change its spots? You are not strong enough; you are too strong. You only wrestle yourself down by the promises of God’s lovingkindness. You need the invasion of the Redeemer, the hand of the Shepherd. You need great help, the way a drowning man needs great help from outside himself to rescue him. Only one thing is strong enough to overpower and slay unruly cravings and a stormy life: what God promises to do in and through Jesus Christ. It is by precious and very great promises that we escape the corruption that is in the world by lust (2 Pet. 1:4). From God’s side, we escape ourselves by being loved by Jesus Christ through the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit Himself. From our side, we escape ourselves by learning a lifestyle of intelligent repentance, genuine faith, and specific obedience.”

Oh oh oh … just one more:

“… Live the mindset of Psalm 131. When you set your hope in the right place, you become just the right size. No pride, no looking down from on high, no hot pursuit of pipe dreams. The soul-storms meet their Master, and He says: ‘Be quiet. Ssshh. Peace. Be still.’ What is this? He commands even the demons, and they obey Him? Who is this that wind and sea obey Him? (Mark 1:25-27, 4:39-41).”