“The greatest security we can have in this life consists in the pure and irrevocable surrender of our whole being into the hands of God, as well as in the unwavering decision never to commit, under any circumstances, any sin, whether great or small. Our security does not depend on whether or not we feel God’s love. The great security lies only in what has been said above” (Letter of St. Francis de Sales to St. Jeanne de Chantal).
What wise advice from St. Francis de Sales! Indeed, we cannot always feel the presence of our Father, but we can believe in it. This faith can remain firm even without feeling, which may be clouded or affected by other circumstances. Thus, our security derives, first and foremost, from our faith in God’s love and faithfulness to us.
If we follow St. Francis’s advice and strive to improve each time we realize that we are holding something back or have not taken the necessary steps for complete surrender, we can find security.
Of course, this requires sincerity, which we can ask our Father for. It is wonderful to walk the path of life hand in hand with Him, trusting in Him and doing everything in our power to surrender ourselves irrevocably to Him while avoiding sin with all our strength and determination. Then, what the Lord said to St. Mariam of Jesus Crucified will come true: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever calls upon the Holy Spirit will seek Me and find Me and find Me through Him. His conscience will become as delicate as the flower of the field.”