by this great
preacher teaches, instead, that these very obstacles, delays and
embarrassments are a signal and an important thing in and of themselves;
that they are nothing less than the divine voice; the appointed means
through which the voice of God speaks to us; that each moment, each
hour, is just as valuable during delay and enforced pause as it could be
for the most strenuous action, because,--the only important thing we
have to do in this life is to bring our own will into harmony with the
will of God; to learn to recognize His leading and to _love_ this
leading.

Nor does this interpretation of the divine purposes of life lead the
least in the world to inertia and dull passivity. On the contrary, it
is, in essence, the theory to do all one can, ceaselessly and
constantly; but, having done this, then await the results in a believing
trust which is peace and love of harmony. The larger part of the events
and circumstances that have to do with our lives are not under our
personal control. No man liveth to himself. Regarding this large part of
our lives that are not under our personal control, there is a perpetual
tendency to fret, to worry, to impatience, to irritation, or to
despondency, and the consequent loss of that cheerfulness and radiant
exhilaration in which one should live if he live aright. Could one,
then, regard all this part of his life which he cannot change, nor
hasten, nor delay, nor alter in the slightest degree, one way or the
other,--could he but recognize all this as the divine language and meet
it,--not only with resignation but with that joyful acceptance of
perfect faith which absolutely realizes the oneness of the will between
himself and God,--then would not life gain, at once, immeasurably in
peace and happiness?

"Can the divine will err?" questions Pere De Caussade. "Can anything
that it sends be amiss? But I have this to do; I need such a thing; I
have been deprived of the necessary means; that man thwarts me in such
good works; this illness overtakes me when I most need my health."

The answer is: "No; the will of God is all that is absolutely necessary
to you, therefore you do not need what He withholds from you--you lack
nothing. If you could read aright these things which you call accidents,
disappointments, misfortunes, contradictions, which you find
unreasonable, untimely, you would blush with confusion, but you do not
reflect that all these things are simply the will of God.