Dark Recesses
The sermon 'Dark Recesses' by Frederick William Faber encourages listeners to confront the dark corners of their own hearts and seek a higher calling, despite the fear of change and discomfort.
Frederick William Faber preaches about the universal tendency to hide certain aspects of ourselves from God, fearing the discomfort or change that may come with exposing those hidden corners. He highlights the instinct of corrupt nature to keep these areas locked away, avoiding the potential for a complete interior revolution or a higher calling that may disrupt our current way of life. Faber challenges the notion that we can keep these corners of self hidden from God, emphasizing that God can enter these spaces without our permission and see everything within, even without us shining a light on them.
Text
"... then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you"
(John 20:26).
There is hardly a man or woman in the world, who has not got some corner of self into which he or she fears to venture with a light. The reasons for this may be various, as various as the individual souls. Nevertheless, in spite of the variety of reasons, the fact is universal. For the most part we hardly know our own reasons. It is an instinct, one of the quick instincts of corrupt nature. We prophesy to ourselves that, if we penetrate into that corner of self, something will have to be done which either our laziness or our immortification would shrink from doing. If we enter that sanctuary, some charm of easy devotion or smooth living will be broken. We shall find ourselves face to face with something unpleasant, something which will perhaps constrain us to all the trouble and annoyance of a complete interior revolution, or else leave us very uncomfortable in conscience. We may perhaps be committed to something higher than our present way of life, and that is out of the question. Religion is yoke enough as it is.
So we leave this corner of self curtained off, locked up like a room in a house with disagreeable associations attached to it, unvisited like a lumber closet where we are conscious that disorder and dirt are accumulating, which we have not just now the vigour to grapple with. But do we think that God cannot enter there, except by our unlocking the door, or see anything when He is there, unless we hold Him a light?
Sermon Outline
- The Dark Recesses of Self
- The consequences of avoiding self-reflection
- The illusion of hiding from God
- God's ability to see beyond our defenses
- The need to confront our true selves
- The possibility of a higher calling
Key Quotes
“There is hardly a man or woman in the world, who has not got some corner of self into which he or she fears to venture with a light.” — Frederick William Faber
“We prophesy to ourselves that, if we penetrate into that corner of self, something will have to be done which either our laziness or our immortification would shrink from doing.” — Frederick William Faber
“So we leave this corner of self curtained off, locked up like a room in a house with disagreeable associations attached to it,” — Frederick William Faber
Application Points
- We must be willing to confront our true selves and acknowledge our flaws and weaknesses in order to grow and seek a higher calling.
- Avoiding self-reflection can lead to a life of ease and complacency, but it will never bring true fulfillment or understanding of ourselves.
- God can see beyond our defenses and into the darkest recesses of our hearts, and He desires for us to confront our true selves and seek a deeper relationship with Him.