SOUL-WORK
SOUL-WORK
I am more and more convinced each day that the check to our prosperity is that the Spirit’s work in us is not [p. 49] conscientiously submitted to. Everything has been accomplished for us; every desire of God for us has been fulfilled; but the Spirit’s work — God’s work now — is to make true to us what is true for us. Many Christians are like houses in the course of construction, with a pile of bricks or stones lying quite contiguous to each building, but the building making very little progress. I adduce the pile of bricks or stones as illustration of a knowledge of the word. Much is known by each of us which has not been appropriated. It is comparatively easy and pleasant work to procure the bricks or stones — I mean to read the word, and learn the unsearchable riches of Christ, and yet with this there may be very little of the old house pulled down, and therefore very little of the new one built up. God only can pull down the old one, and God only can build up the new. I believe that if we were conscientiously walking with the Spirit, we should know the brick or stone — the special truth which He is adding, the one which we next require for His work, in us. Until the needed brick has been built in, that is until we are really edified, no more progress in the building will be made, however much of the word we may learn.
I suppose many when dying make very rapid progress, but then the opportunity for the deep enjoyment and privilege of being here for Christ is over.
I think we all have to take it to heart how very little the Lord Himself is the resource of our hearts. Many devoted Christians make service their resource. Some make the word their resource, but how rarely one meets any one who enjoys Christ Himself as his entire resource. The acquisition of knowledge of divine property has marked us; but while the Lord has thus favoured us with light how very little there is of that alteration as to tastes and ways which marks soul progress. There may be plenty of bricks and stones, plenty of knowledge, but no advance in the building. Soul-work is the mason at work, and here the lack is.
A person’s private prayers would tell the real object before the soul. According to the intensity of desire, so is the prayer. What you desire most is sure to be paramount, it is sure to find some vent: therefore, “he that seeketh findeth” (Matthew 7: 8).