Chapter 175

A Good End – From God’s Grace

The power lies not in the words of the Jesus Prayer, but in spiritual disposition, fear of God, and devotion to God, and in constant attention to God and standing before him with the mind.

The Jesus Prayer is only an aid, not the very essence of the work. Resolve to live in the remembrance of God and walk in the presence of God, and this alone will lead you to a good end. All this is from God’s grace. Without God’s grace you cannot acquire anything spiritual in any other way. When grace knocks on the heart, then everything will proceed as it should be.

We have the Lord Savior, who desires all to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4); we must importune him, and he will grant it. Embrace the humble self-attribution of nothing to yourself, knowledge of only your own deficiencies, failures, and omissions, and grievous cries from your heart: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” And God’s grace will never withdraw its overshadowing and protection from you.

(Letter 939, vol. 5, p. 231)