Chapter 4

It is written, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." If we do not submit ourselves in all humility to God's will how can His will be done? Only they who do the will of God can enter into the kingdom of God, that interior life so precious that they who find it build upon treasures unknown to this world.

Conforming to anything seems to be a most difficult task for many. Through out all history there are many accounts of those who oppose others thoughts and ideas. The reasons a non-conformist refuses to submit to conformity are as varied as the number of people who refuse to accept what most people call the norm. Yet, it would seem to me that for the most part, non-conformists feel that to submit to the will of their opponent would be a violation of freedom.

Nonetheless, conforming to the will of God is a difficult task, no question. Yet, conforming to the will of God will give you immeasurable gifts in the kingdom of heaven and an inner peace which grows as the seed of conformity is nurtured.

Those of us who truly believe in God, do so because we have searched for Him. When we find Him we endeavor to know Him better. As we draw closer to Him, our lives begin to change. So that Saint Paul says, "Then if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the former things have passed away; behold, they are made new," 2 Co. 5-17. This change which is taking place inside of us is a process of sanctification. Sanctification is the process by which we are purified, or made holy. It is a lifetime journey in conformity, which only ends when we pass on into death.

Yet obtaining sanctification or purity, is like being a piece of stone which the sculptor skillfully carves out, or the clay in the potters hand, or the paint on an artist's unfinished canvas. We must trust that the sculptor's love of sculpting, or the potter's love of pottery, or the artist's love of painting is a burning desire to do the very best that can be done to create a work of art. God is the greatest artist. He makes us the best we can be. He has that burning love for us. And He desires to shape, mold and paint us into a work of art.

Now if we chose not to conform to God's will, then we fight against the very design of our being. We are told in Scripture that we were created in the image of God, Genesis 1-26. An image is like a mirror, so that, we were designed to be as a mirror of God. If our mirror reflects opposition by non-conformity, then our image is not in God's likeness as written in Genesis 1-26.

Yet, if we allow ourselves to conform to the trustful surrender of God's hands, then our heart, soul, mind and body will become balanced in perfect harmony. We will then come to mirror the reflection of God's image.

In this conformity, surrender, and mirror image, we can obtain the greatest gifts in the kingdom of heaven. We then access (by trust in the greatest Artist Hands) the highest measure of sanctification or purity. In this way we are made holy, which is the true image of God.

The more that we surrender to the will of God, and the less we resist (our desire) not to conform, the more we shall be molded, painted, and sculpted towards perfection. Everything that we do should be done only to conform to God's will that we may continue towards perfection. What we become in the hands of God depends upon our complete trust and surrender to the Artist's brush, chisel or clay.

Saint Teresa of Avila tells us, "Conformity is the highest perfection we can obtain, and those who practice it with the greatest of care will be favored by God's greatest gifts and will make the quickest progress in interior life. Do not imagine there are other secrets all our good consists of this."

Interior life, oh what great joy! Do you recall the parable; "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who found a treasure on a piece of land, so that he went and sold all that he had so he could buy that piece of land, " Mat. 13-44.

Do you also remember Jesus telling us, "The kingdom of God is not over here or over there, for behold the kingdom of God is within you," Luke 17-21.

So what do you think of this Scripture, "Do not build up treasures on earth, where the thief breaks in and steals, and the moth consumes. Instead build up your treasures in the kingdom of heaven where the thief does not break in and steal, nor the moth consume," Mat. 6-19. If you piece these Scriptures together you have the greatest of mysteries, which yields an abundant harvest.

Let me explain is simple terms; If we are told to seek first the kingdom of God, Mat. 6-33, and we are told that the kingdom of God is within us, Luke 17-21, so then if we conform to God's will and seek Him, He will begin to purify us and mold us as a new creature in Christ. 2Co. 5-17.

As we conform to His will we lose interest in the things this world offers us, which the thief and the moth consumes. We become as the man who found a treasure, so he sold all that he had, This treasure that can not be stolen or consumed, is interior life. As Saint Teresa said, "Those who conform to God's will, shall be favored by God's greatest gifts, and will make the quickest progress in interior life. Do not imagine there are other secrets."

Conformity, to place ourselves in the hands of the living God. To accept whatever God may send us, either rich or poor, happy or sad. In all things that may happen to us we must trust in the hands of our most loving Artist, God.

Yet, conforming oneself to the will of God means, accepting the pains, sufferings, and joys given us everyday. But when you obtain this degree of interior life, your whole being will be at peace. So that suffering is great joy, knowing you are in the hands of the living God.

The sweetest peace lives here. The angels sang praise when Christ was born. They exclaimed, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will," Luke 2-14. What is being said here is this; those who do good will, do the will of God. To those who do the will of God, they shall have peace. The peace that they will have comes from within the kingdom of heaven, which is inside of us, which is interior life.

Jesus said, "I have come down from heaven not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me," John 6-38. Jesus suffered unto death. If we were created in the image of God, we should (in total submission, subservience, conformity, surrender, humility and exalting state of goodness) reflect the mirror image, as we were designed to do.

If we do not reflect God’s image, we then transgress against our very design. Anything that attempts to do something it is not designed to do, break down. God is the only one who can mend the spirit but you must conform to His will.

If we submit to God's will, Jesus tells us, "Come to Me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light, " Mat. 11-28-30. This happens because you are, "Men of good will," Luke 2-14. And men of good will are at peace because they do the will of God. Luke 2-14.

In this I say again, having been created in the image and likeness of God, we must reflect the mirror image by which we were designed. Anything that goes against its design breaks down, so we must do His will.