Let Go

by Francois Fenelon

Overview

A collection of letters by Francois Fenelon, written for the purpose of encouragement and godly direction. A piece of literature that can truly cause a soul to dive deeper into the fullness of God regardless of their spiritual background. Hungry souls should come to this meal and indulge in its beautiful contents with eager anticipation and humble desire. I pray you blessed as you read this wonderful book!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781543154818
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	02/17/2017
Pages:	62
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.99(h) x 0.13(d)

About the Author

François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon (1651–1715) was a French archbishop, theologian, and writer whose excursions into the contemplative life, especially the quietism espoused by Madame Jeanne Guyon, caused controversy in the church of his day. His writings remain as an encouragement and source of spiritual growth for many Christians today.
Fénelon, descended from a long line of nobility, started his higher studies in 1672 at Saint Sulpice seminary in Paris. He was ordained a priest in 1676 and appointed director of Nouvelles Catholiques (“New Catholics”), a college for women who taught converts from French Protestantism. Fénelon, while never supportive of Protestantism, was nonetheless critical of harsh treatment toward Huguenots (French Protestants) and the many forced conversions that occurred under King Louis XIV. Fénelon instead held open meetings with Protestants to share the Catholic doctrine in a nonthreatening environment.
Fénelon’s first important work, Traité de l’éducation des filles (Treatise on the Education of Girls), was conservative overall but also suggested noncoercive concepts for educating females that were very innovative for his day. His second and best-known work, Les Aventures de Télémaque (The Adventures of Telemachus), outlined Fénelon’s political beliefs through the account of Telemachus’s search for Ulysses. It was written during Fénelon’s time as tutor to Louis, Duke de Bourgogne, the grandson and heir to Louis XIV.
 

Read an Excerpt

Letter 1 The Advantages of Humility

I often pray to God that He would keep you in the hollow of His hand. And this He certainly will do if you remember to keep a humble and obedient spirit. Humility is good in every situation, because it produces that teachable spirit which makes everything easy. And you, of all people, would be more guilty than many others if you made any resistance to the Lord on this point. For on the one hand, the Lord has taught you so much on the necessity of becoming like a little child; and on the other, few people have had an experience more fitting to humiliate the heart and destroy self-confidence. The good that comes from any experience of personal weakness is the realization that God wants us to be lowly and obedient. So may the Lord keep you!

Table of Contents

IntroductionLetter 1--The Advantages of HumilityLetter 2--How to Bear Suffering PeacefullyLetter 3--The Beauty of the CrossLetter 4--The Death of SelfLetter 5--Peace Comes Through Simplicity and ObedienceLetter 6--The True Source of Peace Is in the Surrender of the WillLetter 7--True Goodness Is Only Reached by AbandonmentLetter 8--"Knowledge Puffeth Up: Charity Edifyeth"Letter 9--We Are Not to Choose the Manner in Which Our Blessings Shall Be BestowedLetter 10--The Discovery and Death of SelfLetter 11--The Sight of Our Imperfections Should Not Take Away Our PeaceLetter 12--Living by the Cross and by FaithLetter 13--Despair at Our Imperfections Is a Greater Obstacle than the Imperfection ItselfLetter 14--Pure Faith Sees God AloneLetter 15--Our Knowledge Stands in the Way of Our Becoming WiseLetter 16--Those Who Injure Us Are to Be Loved and Welcomed as the Hand of GodLetter 17--Quietness in God Our True ResourceLetter 18--True Friendships Are Founded Only in GodLetter 19--The Cross a Source of Our PleasureLetter 20--Do Not Be Distressed by the Revelation of Self or the Absence of FeelingLetter 21--The Imperfection of Others to Be Born in LoveLetter 22--The Fear of Death Is Not Taken Away by Our Own Courage But by the Grace of GodLetter 23--Sensitivity to Reproof Is the Surest Sign We Needed ItLetter 24--Only Imperfection Is Intolerant of ImperfectionLetter 25--We Should Listen to God and Not to SelfLetter 26--Absolute Trust Is the Shortest Road to GodLetter 27--The Time of Temptation and Distress Is No Time to Make DecisionsLetter 28--If You Have Love, You Have EverythingLetter 29--Weakness Preferable to Strength, and Practice Better than KnowledgeLetter 30--Beware of the Pride of Reasoning: the True Guide to Knowledge Is LoveLetter 31--The Gifts of God Are Not to Be Rejected because of the Channel That Brings ThemLetter 32--Poverty and Deprivation Are Jesus' WayLetter 33--The Will of God Our Only TreasureLetter 34--Surrender Is Not a Heroic Sacrifice, but a Simple Sinking into the Will of GodLetter 35--Bearing Dying Takes the Place of Final DeathLetter 36--Suffering Belongs to the Living, Not the DeadLetter 37--God Gives Grace in Proportion to Our TrialsLetter 38--Resisting God, an Effective Hindrance to GraceLetter 39--God Speaks More Effectually in the Soul than to ItLetter 40--The Circumcision of the Heart