A few years back, I picked up a book on spiritual growth called, “The Complete Green Letters” by Miles J. Stanford. And while Miles was not a Christian Universalist, his views on spiritual growth have been tremendously important to me and, I would suggest, could serve as a much needed corrective to the unfortunate tendencies among so many Christians to try and force themselves into a state of spiritual maturity.
In chapter 4 of his book, he includes an unnamed poem by a guy named Ter Steegen. It was so beautiful, I thought I’d share it with you all here.
“Thou sayest, Fit me, fashion me for Thee.
Stretch forth thine empty hands, and be thou still:
O restless soul, thou dost but hinder Me
By valiant purpose and by steadfast will.
Behold the summer flowers beneath the sun.
In stillness his great glory they behold;
And sweetly thus his mighty word is done.
And resting in his gladness they unfold.
So are the sweetness and the joy Divine
Thine, O beloved, and the work is Mine.”
Enjoy.