Dialogues of Fenelon (Volume I)
Author: Fenelon
Written in: 1651-1715
Pages: 160

Dialogues of Fenelon Volume I is part of the
Fireside
Collection.

This wonderful devotional will bless you with simple
reminders of God’s grand eternal truths, His gentle counsel will help you
to face the stresses of the day with a sense of joy and purpose. A simple
reminder to “be content to lead a simple life where God has placed you” may
be just what you need to rise above the challenges that God has for you today. Pocket size and leatherbound!

An exerpt from the book…
To the Comtesse de Gramont, THE NEED OF DEVOTION IN A WORLDLY LIFE.
Oct. 2, 1689
It seems to me, Madame, that you have two things to do,—one with respect to your engagements, the other with respect to yourself. The first consists in the care you should take to redeem some brief time from the world for reading and prayer. Try to rescue half an hour morning and evening. You must learn, too, to make good use of spare moments,—when waiting for some one, when going from place to place, or when in society, where to be a good listener is all that is required. One raises one’s heart for an instant to God, and renews one’s strength for further duties. The less time one has, the more important it is to husband it. If you wait till you have regular and convenient hours at your disposal to fill with substantial duties, you run the risk of waiting too long, especially in your kind of life; you must seize every spare moment. It is not in piety as in temporal affairs. Th e latter require free and regular seasons of continuous application, but piety has no need of such consecutive labor; in a moment you can recall the presence of God, love Him, adore Him, offer Him what you do or what you suff er, and calm before Him all the agitation of your heart.

Take then, Madame, half an hour in the morning, and another half hour in the afternoon, to repair the inroads which the world makes; and, in the course of the day, make use of such thoughts as touch you most, to renew yourself in the presence of God. The other duty which you owe to yourself is not to be discouraged, either by experience of your weakness, or by disgust at the agitated life which you lead. The only point is to be faithful, patient, and peaceful under the crosses of your present condition, which you
have not chosen, and which God has appointed according to His purposes. As to faults, they are harder to bear with; but they will turn to good, if we make use of them to humble ourselves, without slackening in the endeavor to correct ourselves. Discouragement would remedy nothing; it would simply be the despair of wounded self-love.

…and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exult you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for He cares for you. Be sober-minded, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, fi rm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suff ering are being experienced by your brethren throughout the world.
1 Peter 5:5b-9

View other books by this author: Fenelon

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*Damage does not affect readability. Damage may include minor problems such as bent corners, faded covers, or an upside-down/double-stamped cover. These items are non-returnable after purchase.