This quote is taken from Elisabeth Elliot’s masterful classic, Passion and Purity. However, its original author is Lilias Trotter (find out more about her in Noel Piper’s Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God) in her book Parables of the Cross.
“The fair new petals must fall, and for no visible reason. No one seems enriched by the stripping. And the first step into the realm of giving is like a surrender – not manward but Godward: an utter yielding of our best. So long as our idea of surrender is limited to the renouncing of unlawful things, we have never grasped its true meaning: that is not worthy of the name for “no polluted thing” can be offered. The life lost on the Cross was not a sinful one – the treasure poured forth there was God-given, God-blessed treasure, lawful and right to be kept: only that there was the life of the world at stake.” (P&P, 39-40)
Are we willing to be stripped of our beautiful, God-given petals, to know and abide in His perfect will?
Love this, Kimberly! Thanks for sharing. It was a great reminder for me today!