Putting up Blinds

I am so enjoying this book, “Unto Full Stature.”

Rich

“We have on rare occasions observed individuals who developed their soul until there was a natural loveliness to behold in the window. They have discovered some of the natural laws for producing love, joy, gentleness, etc. Yet for everyone who has attained this natural mastery there are ten thousand who have put up blinds over their windows. By this their soul is saying: “Please don’t look in. I am ashamed that you will not see love, joy, meekness, etc. My natural factory has become bankrupt. I am forced to defend myself with these blinds. Please don’t look in my windows.”

“This leads us secondly to see who so many insist upon putting up blinds. Whenever you see a drab, stoical, unexpressive person, you are looking at a life that has somehow become disappointed, disgruntled and warped in their soul by wrong conceptions. Circumstances have seemingly dealt a severe blow and the soul has become passive. The mind cannot be challenged into thinking; the will has become unexpressive. The blinds are the mechanism of the self life which insists upon wearing a mask to hide the emptiness and barrenness of the inner soul.”

“There are many who admit, “I am caught in a web of circumstances that have put blinds over my windows; it is like being in a dungeon. I can’t see out, and I’m not willing for others to see in. Is it really possible under such circumstances to live with open windows?”
In answer I refer you to this passage which explains how God would use the dungeon to work His inward graces. It would seem if you find these inner graces at all it is through the crushing, the breaking, the darkness. Like Jeremiah, you will “find grace in the dungeon” (Jeremiah 31:2 Moffatt). It is not abnormal to be caught, that is, to find yourself unable to get out of the dungeon.
So often that is God’s way-His hour of opportunity. In that moment of complete despair as he offers His grace we discover He is getting the dungeon out of us. It is when HE comes in to bring His Life, Light and Love that the old blinds will come down and there will be a glorious expression out of our inner being. Thus wherever we are there is light. He is that Light which changes every dungeon circumstance.”