Our inner life is mostly unseen good for others

15. Your inner life is not for you.

One of the key characteristics of the human soul is that it is made to give away. Primarily, we are expected to give ourselves away to God. This is our duty – to respond to God in love for him with all that we are. The Greatest Commandment, according to Jesus, contains this responsibility for us in the “you shall.” We are expected to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

In response to the second greatest commandment, we are charged by Christ to love our neighbor as ourselves.

When we address ourselves to God through this inner life, we find ourselves praying more actively for others out of love. As this inner fire is fanned to flame within us by the movement of the indwelling God, others around us will themselves behold the light of God and be drawn to his warmth.

The others – your neighbors – might not credit you with this odd attraction they have for God. Your very existence may not be of much importance to them. Your hidden life often remains hidden … both from you and particularly from others. You will not be fully aware of how God uses your inner life as a ministry to others. This is another way that the inner life is a life of faith.

Have you made a difference? Absolutely. Can you point to it? Mostly, you cannot. This should not be disconcerting to you. In the Kingdom of God, it is normal.

Note: This post stemmed from a concern that one of my life-long friends mentioned last August, while living under the threat of death from cancer. “You know,” he said to me, “where Jesus says ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant’? I am afraid of that moment, because I don’t think my life has been all that well done.” I assured him that he would be surprised for all the unseen good results his life has caused. He died in April. I am confident he got his “well done” from the Lord.