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If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection.

John of the Cross

Never give up prayer, and should you find dryness and difficulty, persevere in it for this very reason. God often desires to see what love your soul has, and love is not tried by ease and satisfaction.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Desire Difficult Give Up God Love Prayer Reason Satisfaction Soul
Seek in reading and thou shalt find in meditation; knock in prayer and it shall be opened in contemplation.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Meditation Open Prayer Reading Seek
Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn,Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transformed in the Beloved!
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Guide Love Myself Night Transformation
Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Agreement Remember Silence
Love consists not in feeling great things but in having great detachment and in suffering for the Beloved.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Detachment Feeling God Greatness Love Suffering
Abide in peace, banish cares, take no account of all that happens, and you will serve God according to his good pleasure and rest in him.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Account Goodness Peace Service Yourself
The virtuous soul that is alone and without a master is like a long lone burning coal; it will grow colder rather than hotter.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Alone Burn Cold Growth Hot Master Soul Virtue
If it were given to a man to see virtue’s reward in the next world, he would occupy his intellect, memory and will in nothing but good works, careless of danger or fatigue.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Care Intellectual Man Memories See Virtue
He who loves is not ashamed before men of what he does for God, neither does he hide it through shame though the whole world should condemn it.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Hide Himself Love Shame World
Do not let your “eye” be drawn by the false “beacon lamps” -of wealth, or position, or fame, or possessions. Be vigilant over your will and desires, for these are the corrupt forces that dwell within, and keep you from living free.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Corruption Eyes Fame Live Position Possession Yourself
When there is no love, pour in love and you shall draw out love.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Draw Love
Take God for your spouse and friend and walk with him continually, and you will not sin and will learn to love, and the things you must do will work out prosperously for you.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

God Learning Live Prosperity Sin Walk Yourself
To reach satisfaction in all desire its possession in nothing, To come to the knowledge of all desire the knowledge of nothing. To come to possess all desire the possession of nothing. To arrive at being all desire to be nothing.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Desire Knowledge Possession Reach Satisfaction
He who loses an opportunity is like the man who lets a bird fly from his hand, for he will never recover it.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Hands Himself Lose Man Opportunity Recovery
Live in faith and hope, though it be in darkness, for in this darkness God protects the soul. Cast your care upon God for you are His and He will not forget you. Do not think that He is leaving you alone, for that would be to wrong Him.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Darkness Faith Forget God Himself Leaving Live Protection Wrong
Never relax, for you will not attain to the possession of true spiritual delights if first you do not learn to deny your every desire.
JOHN OF THE CROSS

Delight Desire Learning Possession Spiritual True Yourself

If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection.

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If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection.

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