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menu-item-62"><a title="Lectionary Index" href="https://life.ccel.org/lectionary-weeks/">Lectionary Index</a></li> <li id="menu-item-403" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-403"><a title="Subscribe" href="https://life.ccel.org/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/">Subscribe</a></li> </ul></div> </div> </nav> </header> <div id="primary" class="boxed-layout-header page-header header-small" data-parallax="active" ><div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-10 col-md-offset-1 text-center"><h1 class="hestia-title entry-title">Spiritual freedom</h1><h4 class="author">Published by <a href="https://life.ccel.org/author/hplantin/" class="vcard author"><strong class="fn">Harry Plantinga</strong></a> on <time class="entry-date published" datetime="2019-09-19T06:10:50-04:00" content="2019-09-19">2019-09-19</time><time class="updated hestia-hidden" datetime="2020-07-22T08:47:56-04:00">2019-09-19</time></h4></div></div></div><div class="header-filter" style="background-image: url(https://life.ccel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/brian-erickson-XFneC_rHR48-unsplash-1.jpg);"></div></div> <div class="main main-raised "> <div class="blog-post blog-post-wrapper"> <div class="container"> <article id="post-372" class="section section-text"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8 single-post-container" data-layout="sidebar-right"> <div class="single-post-wrap entry-content"><p>Read Luke 16:1-13.</p> <p>Do you like to run? Do you love to get out there, pound the pavement, feel the wind in your hair, see the world flow by, breathe the fresh air, sweat away the stress of the day?</p> <p>Me neither.</p> <p>I know someone who doesn鈥檛 like to run. He鈥檒l run a couple of miles, on occasion, if he forces himself, but he doesn鈥檛 enjoy it. More often he鈥檒l feel as though he ought to run but he won鈥檛 do it. On the other hand, he loves soccer, and he will happily play for hours, running around the whole time. He鈥檒l willingly do the training exercises the coach asks for, contentedly bearing the exhaustion, the pain, the demands. What a difference that love of soccer makes!</p> <p>Is your experience of the Christian life more like forcing yourself to run because you know you should or running for the love of your sport? </p> <p>Ruysbroeck says that three things are necessary to have a spiritual or inward life:</p> <ul> <li>a heart unencumbered by images, possessing nothing by affection but God</li> <li>spiritual freedom in the desires, so that all that is done is done out of love</li> <li>a feeling of inward union with God</li> </ul> <p>Spiritual freedom is serving God for your love of the sport. It鈥檚 living the Christian life for the love of God. It鈥檚 contentedly bearing the training exercises, the pain, the demands with the goal of pleasing the one you love in mind. All things become bearable, even enjoyable. </p> <p>Spiritual freedom presupposes some level of victory of the higher part of your will over the lower, or perhaps it鈥檚 some level of active grace, some presence of the Holy Spirit. Your desire to rest would prevent you from running but your love of the wind and sun and sweat prevails. Trials and temptations come, but your desire for victory overcomes. Your spirit is hard pressed on all sides, but free. </p> <p>Consolations arise, and you thank God but tell him to help you grow instead. Difficult circumstances arise and cause you to suffer. God is hidden. You are desolate, panting for water. You long once again for his presence. You alternate between heaven and hell. But your spirit is free.</p> <p>Spiritual freedom is equally at peace in consolation or desolation, joy or pain, contentment or sorrow. It doesn鈥檛 fight back or struggle. It asks for nothing. It is not double minded鈥攖hat鈥檚 death to the spiritual life. You cannot serve God and wealth.</p> <p>Why don鈥檛 some virtuous Christians get there? According to Ruysbroeck, they don鈥檛 respond to God鈥檚 movements by renouncing themselves. They also don鈥檛 turn inward, toward following the spirit, but remain turned toward outward multiplicity and doing good deeds. They do their good deeds more out of custom than interior experience and pay more attention to their number and variety of works than to the glory of God (<em>Little Book of Clarification</em>, 258-59).</p> </div> <div class="section section-blog-info"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-6"> <div class="entry-categories">Categories: <span class="label label-primary"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/category/meditation/">Meditation</a></span> </div> <div class="entry-tags">Tags: <span class="entry-tag"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/tag/bkg-double-mindedness/" rel="tag">double mindedness</a></span><span class="entry-tag"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/tag/life-spiritual/" rel="tag">Life Spiritual</a></span><span class="entry-tag"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/tag/bkg-spiritual-freedom/" rel="tag">spiritual freedom</a></span><span class="entry-tag"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/tag/bkg-st-john-of-ruysbroeck/" rel="tag">St. John of Ruysbroeck</a></span></div> </div> <div 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</div> </div> </div> <hr> <div class="card card-profile card-plain"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-2"> <div class="card-avatar"> <a href="https://life.ccel.org/author/hplantin/" title="Harry Plantinga"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/10f452a2dd614dd554801b8e9df98c6d?s=100&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/10f452a2dd614dd554801b8e9df98c6d?s=200&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-100 photo' height='100' width='100' decoding='async'/></a> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-10"> <h4 class="card-title">Harry Plantinga</h4> <p class="description">Harry Plantinga is a professor of computer science at Calvin University and the director of ccel.org and hymnary.org.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-3 blog-sidebar-wrapper col-md-offset-1"> <aside id="secondary" class="blog-sidebar" role="complementary"> <div id="mailpoet_form-2" class="widget widget_mailpoet_form"> <h5>Receive meditations by email</h5> <div class=" 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class="row"> <div class="col-md-12"> <h2 class="hestia-title text-center">Related Posts</h2> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-4"> <div class="card card-blog"> <div class="card-image"> <a href="https://life.ccel.org/journee-intro/" title="What does AI know about prayer?"> <img width="360" height="240" src="https://life.ccel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DALL路E-2024-11-07-11.01.03-A-serene-scene-of-a-robot-guru-sitting-on-a-mountaintop-appearing-very-human-like-at-first-glance.-The-figure-has-a-long-beard-flowing-hair-and-wea-copy-360x240.jpg" class="attachment-hestia-blog size-hestia-blog wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /> </a> </div> <div class="content"> <h6 class="category text-info"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/category/meditation/" title="View all posts in Meditation" >Meditation</a> </h6> <h4 class="card-title"> <a class="blog-item-title-link" href="https://life.ccel.org/journee-intro/" title="What does AI know about prayer?" rel="bookmark"> What does 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Give it a try and let me know what you think!</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <div class="card card-blog"> <div class="card-image"> <a href="https://life.ccel.org/meditating-on-christs-passion/" title="Meditating on Christ’s passion"> <img width="360" height="240" src="https://life.ccel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Crucifiction-wide-360x240.jpeg" class="attachment-hestia-blog size-hestia-blog wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /> </a> </div> <div class="content"> <h6 class="category text-info"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/category/meditation/" title="View all posts in Meditation" >Meditation</a> </h6> <h4 class="card-title"> <a class="blog-item-title-link" href="https://life.ccel.org/meditating-on-christs-passion/" title="Meditating on Christ’s passion" rel="bookmark"> Meditating on Christ’s passion </a> </h4> <p class="card-description">We ponder God鈥檚 love for us, we see and even experience his suffering love for us, and our love for him grows in return.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <div class="card card-blog"> <div class="card-image"> <a href="https://life.ccel.org/god-does-all-that-is-done/" title="God does all that is done"> <img width="360" height="240" src="https://life.ccel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DALL路E-2024-09-30-05.50.33-A-serene-and-mystical-scene-to-illustrate-meditation-on-seeing-God-in-a-point.-A-radiant-golden-point-of-light-hovers-in-the-center-of-a-vast-dark-sp-360x240.jpeg" class="attachment-hestia-blog size-hestia-blog wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /> </a> </div> <div class="content"> <h6 class="category text-info"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/category/meditation/" title="View all posts in Meditation" >Meditation</a> </h6> <h4 class="card-title"> <a class="blog-item-title-link" href="https://life.ccel.org/god-does-all-that-is-done/" title="God does all that is done" rel="bookmark"> God does all that is done </a> </h4> <p class="card-description">How is your experience of reading Julian so far? I hope and pray that you are seeing God鈥檚 love for you and for all things in a new way, with new clarity and depth.聽</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <footer class="footer footer-black footer-big"> <div class="container"> <div class="hestia-bottom-footer-content"><ul id="menu-footer" class="footer-menu pull-left"><li id="menu-item-391" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-391"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/topics/">Topical Index</a></li> <li id="menu-item-392" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-392"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/scripture-index/">Scripture Index</a></li> <li id="menu-item-393" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-393"><a href="https://life.ccel.org/lectionary-weeks/">Lectionary Index</a></li> <li id="menu-item-394" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-privacy-policy menu-item-394"><a rel="privacy-policy" href="https://life.ccel.org/privacy-policy/">Privacy Policy</a></li> </ul><div class="copyright pull-right">Hestia | Developed by <a href="https://themeisle.com" rel="nofollow">ThemeIsle</a></div></div> </div> </footer> </div> <link rel='stylesheet' id='mailpoet_public-css' href='https://life.ccel.org/wp-content/plugins/mailpoet/assets/dist/css/mailpoet-public.b1f0906e.css?ver=6.7.2' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='mailpoet_custom_fonts_0-css' href='https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Abril+FatFace%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CAlegreya%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CAlegreya+Sans%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CAmatic+SC%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CAnonymous+Pro%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CArchitects+Daughter%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CArchivo%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CArchivo+Narrow%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CAsap%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CBarlow%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CBioRhyme%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CBonbon%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CCabin%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CCairo%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CCardo%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CChivo%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CConcert+One%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CCormorant%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CCrimson+Text%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CEczar%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CExo+2%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CFira+Sans%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CFjalla+One%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CFrank+Ruhl+Libre%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CGreat+Vibes%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i&ver=6.7.2' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='mailpoet_custom_fonts_1-css' href='https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Heebo%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CIBM+Plex%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CInconsolata%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CIndie+Flower%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CInknut+Antiqua%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CInter%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CKarla%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CLibre+Baskerville%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CLibre+Franklin%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CMontserrat%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CNeuton%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CNotable%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CNothing+You+Could+Do%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CNoto+Sans%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CNunito%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7COld+Standard+TT%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7COxygen%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CPacifico%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CPoppins%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CProza+Libre%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CPT+Sans%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CPT+Serif%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CRakkas%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CReenie+Beanie%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CRoboto+Slab%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i&ver=6.7.2' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='mailpoet_custom_fonts_2-css' href='https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Ropa+Sans%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CRubik%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CShadows+Into+Light%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CSpace+Mono%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CSpectral%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CSue+Ellen+Francisco%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CTitillium+Web%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CUbuntu%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CVarela%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CVollkorn%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CWork+Sans%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i%7CYatra+One%3A400%2C400i%2C700%2C700i&ver=6.7.2' type='text/css' media='all' /> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://life.ccel.org/wp-includes/js/comment-reply.min.js?ver=6.7.2" id="comment-reply-js" async="async" data-wp-strategy="async"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://life.ccel.org/wp-content/themes/hestia/assets/bootstrap/js/bootstrap.min.js?ver=1.0.2" id="jquery-bootstrap-js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://life.ccel.org/wp-includes/js/jquery/ui/core.min.js?ver=1.13.3" id="jquery-ui-core-js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" id="hestia_scripts-js-extra"> /* <![CDATA[ */ var requestpost = {"ajaxurl":"https:\/\/life.ccel.org\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","disable_autoslide":"","masonry":""}; 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