The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
Book 1 -Admonitions Profitable for the Spiritual Life
Chapter 6 Of Inordinate Affections
How do we find peace? Many seek it. For some, it seems the more they try and capture it, the quicker it seems to run through their hands like sand. Thomas a Kempis says that the proud and greedy person will always be restless, in search of more. If you have not completely died to self you will soon be tempted and overcome by a small thing. Peace comes to the poor and lowly of heart. Jesus was an example of this. Matt 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
We seek worldly pleasures and desires and it leaves us sad and easily angered when anyone opposes our will.
God has given us all things to enjoy here on earth. But when we become unbalanced in any one area, when that thing becomes too important to us we show weakness in spirit. If we give in we feel badly and don’t find the peace we were looking for in that thing. Kempis goes in to say, “For true peace of heart is to be found in resisting passion, not in yielding to it.” To find peace we need to be passionate towards God and live in the Spirit.
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