Why Worry About Spiritual Progress?
Dear St. Teresa, is it not better to somewhat ‘go with the flow’ of God’s leading in our life, doing our best, and not worry too much of where we are in the spiritual perfection?
Dear friend, we must beg the Lord for guidance. We must frequently consider that without him we are lost. We must never trust ourselves. We must be vigilant regarding our progress in virtue – especially how we love others. We must not assume that we are safe because of our present status. We must always make progress. We must always endeavor to go forward, and to fear exceedingly if we do not; for without doubt the devil wishes to entrap us, …because love is never idle; and therefore not to advance is a very bad sign…
Adapted from Interior Castle – Fifth Mansion
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Art for this post on spiritual progress: Teresa of Avila, Francois Gerard, 1827, PD-US author’s life plus 100 years or less, published in the U.S. prior to January 1, 1923, Wikimedia Commons. Feature Image Art: modified detail of Patio interior del castillo de Manzanares el Real (Madrid) (Interior Patio of Manzaneres el Real Castle Madrid), photographed by Eleagnus~commonswiki, 9-February-2005, CCA-SA 3.0 Unported, Wikimedia Commons.
