OK. I am reminded of a line by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits.
"Pray as if everything depended on God."
"Do as if everything depended on you."
Sorry if I didn't catch your meaning from your original post.
Regards
I don't think you misunderstood me, as I really didn't explain myself, and I'd like to do that now.
You quote St. Ignatius of Loyola who was admirable in so many ways, and whose Spiritual exercises are excellent.
Here's how I see things:
When a person prays, it is as Rev. Spurgeon describes, he or she reverts to the brogue of his native land. He or she confesses what he or she really believes.
When a person prays in this manner:
"Dear Lord, please give me the strength to accept this loss, to suffer through this grief, to face this fear, to go the distance in this marathon. Dear Lord, please give the Grace to stop despising so and so, to see her instead as you see her, Dear Lord."
He or she is admitting that the power to accomplish these does not lie within him or herself.
In my view, then, the attendant argument that it's 100% God and 100% you is superfluous, if not meaningless, following such a naked admission of inadequacy.
I do not think it unholy to give God all the credit. It is, in fact, the honorable, just and holy thing to do, and it taxes me not in the least.
When I was a senior in high school, one of my final projects was to write Judas Iscariot's suicide note. It was the only natural A I ever received. Even my teacher was taken aback, as I had been nothing but an unremarkable student up to that point.
When I sat down to write the note, the mingling of sentiment and language moved through me and my pen like lightning. It was only a few paragraphs long, and took me almost no time at all to complete. It was God that moved through me, I am absolutley convinced of it. And I've read the quotes of professional musicians who say pretty much the same thing.
I never quite knew how to explain it then, as I never even considered that God considered me anything but the blackest of one of his sheep. But, I was wrong. He does love me, and I really know that now.
As this thread was originally posted to discuss the differences between Luther and Erasmus's view on free will, I feel compelled to confess my affection for Erasmus, as I become acquainted with some of his works. He was a humble servant of God.
jo kus, I will give you the last word here, as I'm not one who is inclined to go 'round and 'round without amendment.
I'm not likely to alter this particular view of mine, and I'm perfectly content to accept that the same holds true for you, without thereby concluding that your differing view falls under the condemnation of God. Is that the driving force behind religious debate; that the person holding an opposing view must needs fall under His condemnation? It sure seems that way.
I bid you peace, jo kus, and a Blessed Easter.