Thy Will Alone

What is the difference between believing in God and believing God?

According to Meister Eckhart, the former is far greater than the latter. When we believe in God, we don’t expect anything in return from Him save for His will alone. On the other hand, when we believe God, which means more like trusting a specific promise with Him. We expect something in return because of this promise. In the latter, we are making a deal with God.

In this regard, faith alone is not enough. Or, it may still be misleading. If our faith is on our deal with God, consciously or unconsciously, we are expecting something in return, which could satisfy our ego. In this context, our faith is no longer pure. It’s no longer faith in itself. It is our conditional action where we demand something from God. We merely believe the power of sorcery; not so different from a black magic.

If you give up everything, you will receive a hundredfold in return, and eternal life. But if a person gives up what they have hoping to receive it back, they will get nothing, for they have not given up all things.

The Kingdom of Heaven Within You by Meister Eckhart

If we can believe in God, then which means that we can give up everything without expecting anything in return, even eternal life.

Believers would seek eternal life. Jews would find signs. Greek would pursue wisdom. In doing so, we are seeking ourselves, not His will.

If you seek something in God—whether it is wisdom, recognition, worship or whatever it may be—you may find it, but you will not find God. You will instead find wisdom, understanding and inwardness—all of which I praise, though they do not endure. When you search for nothing, however, you find God and find all things in him, for he endures.

The Kingdom of Heaven Within You by Meister Eckhart

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

1 Corinthians 1:22-23

Giving up everything means seeking nothing at all. Only if we can seek nothing, we can give up everything. And yet, there is only one thing we must seek, God’s will.

Therefore, you should seek nothing save for God’s will alone—neither understanding, nor knowledge, nor inwardness, nor worship, nor rest.

The Kingdom of Heaven Within You by Meister Eckhart

Even when we pray, we pray for His will alone. By praying for His will alone in everything, only in doing so, we can see Him in everything. He is everything. We are nothing. Thus, we are “everything” in giving up everything and seeking nothing save for His will alone.

If you would pray for anything, you need only pray for God’s will, and nothing more, and in this you will have all. Yet if you pray for something else, you will be given nothing.

The Kingdom of Heaven Within You by Meister Eckhart

In this true faith and genuine humility, we would no longer worry about what to do and what to be. We see the Way where we give up everything and expect nothing save for God’s will alone. Our faith could be real only in believing in Him and His will alone.

One should turn all one’s works toward the will of God and meditate wholly on God alone, going forth without fear, or thinking “Am I doing right, or am I doing wrong?” If a painter were to labor and worry over the first stroke and not consider what is to come, they would end up with nothing. If you were seeking to travel to a city and worried over how to make the first step, you would find yourself nowhere. Therefore, follow your first inspiration and proceed onward. Then you will arrive where at where you wish, and this is right.

The Kingdom of Heaven Within You by Meister Eckhart

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10

Image by joeseager