Unbridled Affections
True peace of heart is found in resisting our passions and living a humble, spiritual life.
Thomas a Kempis preaches about the importance of finding true peace of heart by resisting passions rather than satisfying them. He highlights how a man who desires things too much becomes ill at ease, while a humble and poor in spirit person lives in a world of peace. An unmortified individual is easily tempted and overcome by small evils, leading to a carnal and sensual inclination that causes inner turmoil. True peace is not found in earthly desires but in spiritual fervor and resistance to temptations.
Text
WHEN a man desires a thing too much, he at once becomes ill at ease. A proud and avaricious man never rests, whereas he who is poor and humble of heart lives in a world of peace. An unmortified man is quickly tempted and overcome in small, trifling evils; his spirit is weak, in a measure carnal and inclined to sensual things; he can hardly abstain from earthly desires. Hence it makes him sad to forego them; he is quick to anger if reproved. Yet if he satisfies his desires, remorse of conscience overwhelms him because he followed his passions and they did not lead to the peace he sought.
True peace of heart, then, is found in resisting passions, not in satisfying them.
There is no peace in the carnal man, in the man given to vain attractions, but there is peace in the fervent and spiritual man.
Sermon Outline
- The Dangers of Unbridled Affections
- The Weakness of the Unmortified Man
- The Consequences of Satisfying Desires
- Finding True Peace of Heart
- Resisting passions, not satisfying them
- Peace in the fervent and spiritual man
Key Quotes
“A proud and avaricious man never rests, whereas he who is poor and humble of heart lives in a world of peace.” — Thomas a Kempis
“True peace of heart, then, is found in resisting passions, not in satisfying them.” — Thomas a Kempis
Application Points
- We must learn to resist our earthly desires and live a life of humility and spirituality.
- True peace of heart comes from living a life that is contrary to our carnal nature.
- By resisting our passions, we can find the peace and contentment we seek.