How to Develop Virtue

“For the love of God you ought cheerfully to undergo all things; that is to say, labors and pains; temptations, vexations, anxieties, necessities, infirmities, injuries, slanders, reproofs, humiliations; confusions, corrections and despisings. These are a help to virtue; these are the trial of a novice in Christ; these frame the heavenly crown. I will give an everlasting reward for a short labor, and infinite glory for transitory confusion.”

Thomas a Kempis, Of the Imitation of Christ

For more about Thomas a Kempis see these posts:

Thomas a Kempis on Humility

Thomas a Kempis on Judging Others

Thomas a Kempis on Wisdom

A Humble Prayer

“O Lord, my God! Thou art all good things. And who am I, that I should dare to speak to Thee (Gen 18:27)? I am Thy poorest, meanest servant, and a vile worm, much poorer and more contemptible than I know or dare express.

Yet do Thou remember me, O Lord, because I am nothing. I have nothing, and I can do nothing. Thou alone art good, just and holy. Thou canst do all things, Thou suppliest all things, Thou fillest all things, only the sinner Thou leavest empty. ‘Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies.’ (Psalm 25:6), and fill my heart with Thy grace, Thou who willest not that Thy works should be void. How can I bear up myself in this miserable life, unless Thou strengthen me with Thy mercy and grace?

‘Hide not thy face from thy servant’ (Psalm 69:17); delay not Thy visitation; withdrawn not Thy consolation, lest my soul become as a thirsty land unto Thee (Psalm 143:6). ‘Teach me to do thy will’ (Psalm 43:10); teach me to live worthily and humbly in Thy sight; for Thou art my wisdom, who dost truly know me, and didst know me before the world was made, and before I was born in the world.”

From Of the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis

For more prayers see:

Memorial Day Prayers

A Funeral Prayer

Eleanor Roosevelt — A Wise Prayer

More Quotes about Humility

“If you are looking for an example of humility, look at the cross.” Thomas Aquinas

“It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare achievement.” Bernard of Clairvaux

“Should you ask me: What is the first thing in religion? I should reply: the first, second and third thing herein is humility.” Augustine of Hippo

“The more humble a man is in himself, the more obedient toward God, the wiser will he be in all things and the more shall his soul be at peace.” Thomas a Kempis

For more Christian quotes see:

Two Quotes on the Sacrificial Life

A Quote about the Reformation

A Quote by Madeline L’Engle

Thomas a Kempis on Humility

“The fact that others know our faults and disapprove of them is often a great help in deepening our humility. When a person humbles himself for his failings, he easily satisfies others, and he appeases those who are angry with him. God protects and delivers a humble person; he cherishes and consoles him. God gives himself to a humble person; he bestows great grace on him, and after his humiliation he raises him to glory. God reveals his secrets to those who are humble, and he sweetly draws them and calls them to himself. The humble person in the midst of troubles is filled with peace, for he depends on God alone. Do not think that you have made progress unless you feel truly humble before God and others.”

Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

For more Thomas a Kempis quotes see:

Thomas a Kempis on Wisdom

Thomas A Kempis on Waiting

Always Amending

The Tongue, Again

Looking back over my posts, I notice that I have often written about the tongue — maybe because the sins of the tongue are so numerous, and so easy to commit. We’ve been studying the book of James in the Sunday School class I’ve been attending, and so the subject has come up yet again. In chapter three we read:

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” James 3:9-10

This text tells us that we can use our tongue with for good or for evil. We need to be intentional about what we say because words can edify or they can destroy. This quote from my morning devotional reading emphasizes this principle.

“If it be lawful and expedient to speak, speak those things that may edify. An evil custom and neglect of our own good often makes us set no watch before our mouth. Yet devout discourses of spiritual things further our spiritual growth, especially when persons of one mind and spirit are gathered together in God.” From Of the Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis

So, choose your words carefully, and surround yourself with those who do the same. The life you build up may be your own!

For more posts about the tongue see:

Hold Your Tongue!

Live at Peace/Tame Your Tongue

Zip It by Karen Ehman–Book Review

Thomas a Kempis on Judging Others

“Endeavor to be patient in bearing with the defects and infirmities of others, of whatever sort they be; for you also have many failings which must be borne by others (1 Thess. 5:15; Gal. 6:1). If you cannot make yourself such a one as you would, how will you be able to have another in all things to your liking?

We would willingly have others perfect, and yet not correct our own faults. We will have others severely corrected and will not be corrected ourselves. The large liberty of others displeases us, and yet we will not have our own desires denied us. We will have others bound down by ordinances, and we ourselves endure no further restraint.”

Thomas a Kempis, Of the Imitation of Christ

For more Thomas a Kempis quotes, see these posts:

Thomas A Kempis on Waiting

Thomas a Kempis on Union with Christ

Always Amending

A Meditation on Death

“Blessed is he who always has the hour of his death before his eyes (Ecclesiastes 7:1), and daily prepares himself to die. If at any time you have seen another man die, remember you must also pass the same way (Hebrews 9:27). When it is morning, think you might not come to eventide. And when it is evening, dare not to promise yourself the morning. Always, therefore, be ready, and so live that death might not take you unprepared, for many die suddenly. When that last hour shall come, you will have a far different opinion of your whole past life and regret you have been so careless and remiss.”

Thomas a Kempis, Of the Imitation of Christ

For more by Thomas a Kempis see these posts:

Of the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis–Book Review

Thomas a Kempis on Union with Christ

Thomas A Kempis on Waiting

Thomas a Kempis on Wisdom

” The highest and most profitable learning is the knowledge of ourselves. To have a low opinion of our own merits, and to think highly of others, is an evidence of wisdom.”

Thomas a Kempis

For more Thomas a Kempis quotes see these posts:

Thomas A Kempis on Waiting

Thomas a Kempis on Union with Christ

Examination of Conscience, Again

How Does God Reveal Himself?

“Nevertheless, to some men, I speak common things, to others things special. To some I show Myself sweetly in signs and figures, while to some I reveal mysteries in much light. The voice of books is one, but it informs not all alike. Inwardly, I am the teacher, the truth, the searcher of the heart, the discerner of thoughts, the promoter of actions, distributing to every man as I shall judge meet.”

From Of the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis

For more about Thomas a Kempis

Thomas A Kempis on Waiting

Of the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis–Book Review

Thomas a Kempis on Union with Christ

Examination of Conscience, Again

This is a topic I’ve posted about before (Examination of Conscience) and it’s an important exercise that we should all do regularly. Basically, it’s pondering and confessing our sins. Of course, we do this corporately, when we attend worship, but it’s also good to make time to think about how we’ve fallen short in very specific ways. Recently when I reread Of the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis (Of the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis–Book Review) I came across a format that I found really helpful. I’m going to include it here today for others who might like to use it:

(Imagine Christ is speaking to you)

Diligently examine your conscience, and to the utmost of your power purify and make it clear, with true contrition and humble confession; so you may have no burden, nor know anything that may breed remorse of conscience, and hinder your drawing near. Think with displeasure of all your sins in general, and more particularly bewail and lament your daily transgressions. And if time permits, confess to God in the secret of your heart all the wretchedness of evil passions. Groan and lament that you are yet so carnal and worldly, so unmortified from passions; so full of the motions of concupiscence, so unwatchful over your outward sense, so often entangled with many vain imaginations. So much inclined to outward things, so negligent in things inward. So lightly moved to laughter and unbridled mirth, so hardly to tears and contrition. So swift to ease and pleasures of the flesh, so dull to zeal and strictness of life. So curious to hear what is new, and to see what is beautiful, so slack to embrace what is humble and mean. So covetous of abundance, so niggardly in giving, so close in keeping. So inconsiderate in speech, so reluctant to keep silence. So unruly in manners, so fretful in conduct. So eager about food, so deaf to the Word of God. So swift to take rest, so slow to labor. So wakeful after gossiping tales, so drowsy at the sacred services of night; so hasty to arrive at the end, so inclined to wandering and inattention. So careless in observing the hours of prayer, so lukewarm in celebrating, so dry in communicating. So quickly distracted, so seldom thoroughly self-collected. So suddenly moved to anger, so apt to take displeasure against another. So ready to judge, so severe to reprove. So joyful at prosperity, so weak in adversity. So often making good resolutions, and yet bringing them at last to so poor effect.

These and other defects being confessed and bewailed with sorrow and great displeasure at your own infirmity, make a firm resolution to be always amending your life, and making progress in all that is good.

Then, with full resignation and with your entire will, offer up yourself to the honor of My name, on the altar of your heart a perpetual whole burnt offering, even your body and soul, faithfully committing them unto Me.

For more about confession see:

Samuel Johnson’s Prayer of Confession

Confession — It’s Good for the Soul

A Via de Cristo Prayer of Confession and Forgiveness