Day 7 - Turn Toward God

You need to take time to turn to God. Do not pray only when you have set aside time to do so. The busier you are, the more you must practice turning to God. If you wait until the time is convenient, there is little doubt that you will end up spending little time with God.

Try to come before God both in the morning and the evening. Pray during and between all your other jobs as much as you can. You cannot retire too much from the mindless chat-ter of the world. Learn to steal this time in little snatches, and you will find these moments the most precious part of your day.

You don’t need much time to tell God that you love Him!Lift your heart to Him. Worship Him in the depths of your spirit. Offer Him what you do and what you suffer. Tell God the most important things that occur to you; tell Him what stands out to you as you read the Bible. Cling to your dearest Friend; live in Him with unbounded trust; speak to Him out of a heart full of love. As you learn to continually turn your spir-it toward the loving presence of God within you, you will find yourself strengthened to do what is required of you. Here is the kingdom of God coming to life within.
These times of inward retirement are the only solution for your quick temper, critical nature, and impatience. Turning to God will help you, but you will need to do it frequently.

As God draws you to Himself, follow Him with complete trust. Love Him as you would wish to be loved. Does this sound extravagant? It is not giving Him too much. As He shows you new ways to love Him, then do so.

Speak and act without too much planning and self-examination. Set your eyes on God and you will feel less of a need to please others. The wonderful thing is that you may end up pleasing them more. - François de Fénelon

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François de Fénelon (1651–1715) was a French pastor, teacher, and spiritual writer whose life and words invite believers into a deeper, quieter walk with God. As Archbishop of Cambrai and a trusted mentor to young leaders, Fénelon was known for his gentle wisdom, pastoral heart, and deep commitment to spiritual formation. His Spiritual Letters continue to guide readers toward a life of prayer shaped by attentiveness, obedience, and inward renewal.

The daily devotional readings shared during our consecration are drawn primarily from 100 Days in the Secret Place, compiled by Gene Edwards, and a select number of other rich essays and writings. These excerpts are shared for devotional and discipleship purposes, with gratitude for the rich spiritual heritage preserved in the work. We encourage anyone who is helped by these readings to explore the full book for deeper reflection.

Day 5 The Depths—Even for the Unlearned

I would like to address this chapter to those of you who may not be able to read.* Because you cannot read, you may feel that you are in a weaker state than most Christians. You may feel you are unqualified to know the depths of your Lord.

But in fact, you are really blessed. The blessing in not being able to read is that prayer may become your reading! Do you not know that the greatest book is Jesus Christ Himself? He is a Book who has been written on within and without. He will teach you all things. Read Him!

The first thing you must learn, dear friend, is that “the kingdom of God is within you” (Lk. 17:21b).

Never look for the kingdom anywhere but there, within. Once you have realized that the kingdom of God is within you and can be found there, just come to the Lord.

As you come, come with a deep sense of love; come to Him very gently; come to Him with a deep sense of worship. As you come to Him, humbly acknowledge that He is everything. Confess to Him that you are nothing.

Close your eyes to everything around you; begin to open the inward eyes of your soul, turning those eyes to your spirit. In a word, give your full attention to the deep inward parts of your being.

You need only believe that God dwells in you. This belief, and this belief alone, will bring you into His holy presence. Do not allow your mind to wander about but hold it in submission as much as possible.

Once you are in the Lord’s presence, be still and quiet before Him.

And now, there in His presence, simply begin to repeat the Lord’s Prayer. Begin with the word, “Father.” As you do, let the full meaning of that word deeply touch your heart. Believe that the God who lives inside you is indeed so willing to be your Father. Pour out your heart to Him as a little child pours out his heart to his father. Never doubt your Lord’s deep love for you. Never doubt His desire to hear you. Call on His name and remain before Him silently for a little while. Remain there, waiting to have His heart made known to you.

As you come to Him, come as a weak child, one who is all soiled and badly bruised—a child that has been hurt from falling again and again. Come to the Lord as one who has no strength of his own; come to Him as one who has no power to cleanse himself. Humbly lay your pitiful condition before your Father’s gaze. - Jeanne Guyon

*Until the last century a great majority of the world’s population could not read. Jeanne Guyon has addressed herself to them.

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Jeanne Guyon (1648–1717) was a French Christian writer whose life and teachings have shaped believers for more than three centuries. She wrote extensively about prayer, surrender, and living in continual awareness of God’s presence, emphasizing a simple, inward devotion to Christ. Because her teachings challenged religious performance and control, she was imprisoned for her faith, including years spent in the Bastille. Even in suffering, her writings reflect deep joy, trust, and a quiet confidence in God.

The daily devotional readings shared during our consecration are drawn primarily from 100 Days in the Secret Place, compiled by Gene Edwards, and a select number of other rich essays and writings. These excerpts are shared for devotional and discipleship purposes, with gratitude for the rich spiritual heritage preserved in the work. We encourage anyone who is helped by these readings to explore the full book for deeper reflection.

Day 4 - The Ways of God

When God starts to deal with your old nature He heads straight for the center of all that you hold most dear. Allow Him to bring you the cross in the very center of who you are. Don’t grumble and become agitated when the process starts: Silence and peace will help you much more than being upset.

You will be tempted to speak out in a humble tone of voice to tell others of your problems. Watch out for this! A humility that is still talkative does not run very deep. When you talk too much your self-love relieves its sense of shame a little.

Don’t be angry about what people say. Just follow God and let them talk. As far as people are concerned, you will never be able to satisfy them. Silence, peace, and union with God should comfort you from all that people speak against you. You need to be determined to do right in your present situation—but at the same time your quick temper requires checks and balances. Come to God often just to sit in His presence and renew yourself. Nothing is as important as lowliness of heart, and detachment from your own opinion and will. Stiffness and harshness is not the spirit of Jesus Christ. — François de Fénelon

STILLNESS: WHEN FAITH PUTS IT DOWN: by Pastor Aramis D. Hinds, Sr.

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François de Fénelon (1651–1715) was a French pastor, teacher, and spiritual writer whose life and words invite believers into a deeper, quieter walk with God. As Archbishop of Cambrai and a trusted mentor to young leaders, Fénelon was known for his gentle wisdom, pastoral heart, and deep commitment to spiritual formation. His Spiritual Letters continue to guide readers toward a life of prayer shaped by attentiveness, obedience, and inward renewal.

The daily devotional readings shared during our consecration are drawn primarily from 100 Days in the Secret Place, compiled by Gene Edwards, and a select number of other rich essays and writings. These excerpts are shared for devotional and discipleship purposes, with gratitude for the rich spiritual heritage preserved in the work. We encourage anyone who is helped by these readings to explore the full book for deeper reflection.

Day 3 - Embracing The Cross

You need to learn to separate yourself from unnecessary and restless thoughts which grow out of self-love. When your own thoughts are set aside you will be completely in the middle of the straight and narrow path. You will experience the freedom and peace that is meant for you as a child of God. 

I try to follow the same advice that I give others. I know that I must seek peace in the same way. Often, when you suffer, it is the life of your self-nature that causes you pain. When you are dead you do not suffer. If you were completely dead to your old nature you would no longer feel many of the pains that now bother you.

Endure the aches and pains of your body with patience. Do the same thing with your spiritual afflictions (that is, trouble sent to you that you cannot control). Do not add to the cross in your life by becoming so busy that you have no time to sit quietly before God. Do not resist what God brings into your life. Be willing to suffer if that is what is needed. Overactivity and stubbornness will only increase your anguish. 

God prepares a cross for you that you must embrace without thought of self-preservation. The cross is painful. Accept the cross and you will find peace even in the middle of turmoil. Let me warn you that if you push the cross away, your circumstances will become twice as hard to bear. In the long run, the pain of resisting the cross is harder to live with than the cross itself.

See God’s hand in the circumstances of your life. Do you want to experience true happiness? Submit yourself peacefully and simply to the will of God, and bear your sufferings without struggle. Nothing so shortens and soothes your pain as the spirit of non-resistance to your Lord. 

As wonderful as this sounds, it still may not stop you from bargaining with God. The hardest thing about suffering is not knowing how great it will be or how long it will last. You will be tempted to want to impose some limits to your suffering. No doubt you will want to control the intensity of your pain.

Do you see the stubborn and hidden hold you have over your life? This control makes the cross necessary in the first place. Do not reject the full work that the power of the cross could accomplish in you. Unfortunately, you will be forced to go over the same ground again and again. Worse yet, you will suffer much, but your suffering will be for no purpose.

May the Lord deliver you from falling into an inner state in which the cross is not at work in you! God loves a cheerful giver. (See Second Corinthians 9:7.) Imagine how much He must love those who abandon themselves to His will cheerfully and completely—even if it results in their crucifixion! — François de Fénelon

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François de Fénelon (1651–1715) was a French pastor, teacher, and spiritual writer whose life and words invite believers into a deeper, quieter walk with God. As Archbishop of Cambrai and a trusted mentor to young leaders, Fénelon was known for his gentle wisdom, pastoral heart, and deep commitment to spiritual formation. His Spiritual Letters continue to guide readers toward a life of prayer shaped by attentiveness, obedience, and inward renewal.

The daily devotional readings shared during our consecration are drawn primarily from 100 Days in the Secret Place, compiled by Gene Edwards, and a select number of other rich essays and writings. These excerpts are shared for devotional and discipleship purposes, with gratitude for the rich spiritual heritage preserved in the work. We encourage anyone who is helped by these readings to explore the full book for deeper reflection.

DAY 2 - A Confession of Repentance by Augustine

What fruit had I then in those things of which I am now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. And yet I loved my fall, not the thing for which I fell, but my fall itself. My soul was depraved, falling away from security in You to destruction in itself, seeking nothing through the shameful deed but shame itself.

There was a pear tree near our vineyard, laden with fruit. To shake and rob this tree, I and a band of young companions set out late one night. We took huge loads, not to eat ourselves, but to throw to the hogs, though we ate just enough to make it clear that we were doing what we pleased. And this was my heart: I loved my own undoing.

I loved not the object for which I committed the theft, but the theft itself. For I would not have done it alone. Nor did I desire the pears, but only the companionship of those who sinned with me. I was ashamed to be less shameless than others.

Behold my heart, O God, behold my heart, which You had mercy upon even while it was in the depths. Now let my heart confess to You what it sought there. I became evil for no reason. I had no motive for my wickedness except wickedness itself. It was foul, and I loved it.

What did I love in that theft? Was it not the thrill of lawlessness? A shadowy likeness of omnipotence? For there is a perverse imitation of the Lord Your God when one desires power without authority, freedom without obedience.

Yet even then You were present, angry yet merciful, striking my conscience with inward rebuke. You allowed me to run headlong so that I might learn by experience how bitter it is to forsake You, the fountain of life, and to dig for myself broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Late have I loved You, O Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved You. For behold, You were within, and I was outside, and there I sought You. You called, You cried out, and You broke through my deafness. You shone, You flashed, and You dispelled my blindness. You breathed fragrance upon me, and I drew in my breath and now pant for You. I tasted, and now I hunger and thirst. You touched me, and I burned for Your peace.

Adapted from Confessions (Book II) by Augustine of Hippo. Public domain.

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Augustine of Hippo (354–430) was a North African early Christian pastor, theologian, and bishop whose writings have shaped Christian faith for over sixteen centuries. After years of intellectual pursuit and moral struggle, Augustine experienced a profound conversion to Christ, which he later recorded in his spiritual autobiography, Confessions. His life and work explored themes of sin and grace, restlessness and redemption, and the deep longing of the human heart for God. Augustine reminds the church that repentance is not merely turning from sin, but turning toward the God who alone can give true rest.

DAY 1 - Launching Out

I would like to address you as though you were a beginner in Christ, one seeking to know Him. In so doing, let me suggest two ways for you to come to the Lord. I will call the first way “praying the Scripture”; the second way I will call “beholding the Lord” or “waiting in His presence.”
“Praying the Scripture” is a unique way of dealing with the Scripture; it involves both reading and prayer.

Here is how you should begin.

Turn to the Scripture; choose some passage that is simple and fairly practical. Next, come to the Lord. Come quietly and humbly. There, before Him, read a small portion of the passage of Scripture you have opened to.

Be careful as you read. Take in fully, gently and carefully what you are reading. Taste it and digest it as you read.

In the past it may have been your habit, while reading, to move very quickly from one verse of Scripture to another until you had read the whole passage. Perhaps you were seeking to find the main point of the passage.

But in coming to the Lord by means of “praying the Scripture,” you do not read quickly; you read very slowly. You do not move from one passage to another, not until you have sensed the very heart of what you have read.

You may then want to take that portion of Scripture that has touched you and turn it into prayer.

After you have sensed something of the passage and after you know that the essence of that portion has been extracted and all the deeper sense of it is gone, then, very slowly, gently, and in a calm manner begin to read the next portion of the passage. You will be surprised to find that when your time with the Lord has ended, you will have read very little, probably no more than half a page.

“Praying the Scripture” is not judged by how much you read but by the way in which you read.

If you read quickly, it will benefit you little. You will be like a bee that merely skims the surface of a flower. Instead, in this new way of reading with prayer, you must become as the bee who penetrates into the depths of the flower. You plunge deeply within to remove its deepest nectar.

Of course, there is a kind of reading the Scripture for scholarship and for study—but not here. That studious kind of reading will not help you when it comes to matters that are divine! To receive any deep, inward profit from the Scripture, you must read as I have described. Plunge into the very depths of the words you read until revelation, like a sweet aroma, breaks out upon you. - Jeanne Guyon

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Jeanne Guyon (1648–1717) was a French Christian writer whose life and teachings have shaped believers for more than three centuries. She wrote extensively about prayer, surrender, and living in continual awareness of God’s presence, emphasizing a simple, inward devotion to Christ. Because her teachings challenged religious performance and control, she was imprisoned for her faith, including years spent in the Bastille. Even in suffering, her writings reflect deep joy, trust, and a quiet confidence in God.

The daily devotional readings shared during our consecration are drawn primarily from 100 Days in the Secret Place, compiled by Gene Edwards, and a select number of other rich essays and writings. These excerpts are shared for devotional and discipleship purposes, with gratitude for the rich spiritual heritage preserved in the work. We encourage anyone who is helped by these readings to explore the full book for deeper reflection.