“If a speck of imperfection clings to your heart, do not worry. Cast it immediately into the fire of divine love, and ask for forgiveness with sincere repentance. Continue to live in peace.” (St. Paul of the Cross).
Here is sound spiritual advice offered to us by a fiery soul to help us advance on the path to holiness. We should not fall into unnecessary anxiety or worry when we discover imperfections in ourselves. Of course, we should not overlook them or grow accustomed to them either. Rather, we are encouraged today to deal wisely with our imperfections. We are still on the journey and have not yet reached the goal. Our Father does not expect us to be perfect when we meet Him; instead, He desires to guide us toward perfection. A simple act of self‑knowledge is enough to make us realize that we still have a long way to go before reaching the goal. Who could claim to love perfectly already?
The fire of the Holy Spirit kindled within us naturally desires that we become as pure and perfect as possible in this earthly life. We are called to be like our divine Master. When we encounter our imperfections—even if they are no bigger than a speck of dust—we must immediately bring them before our Father, ask for His forgiveness, and let the fire of divine love purify us, just as St. Paul of the Cross teaches. This is a process we will have to repeat time and again on our spiritual journey, and each time, we will experience the generous love of our heavenly Father. At the same time, as long as we are willing, our Lord will not let any opportunity pass to help us advance on the path to holiness.
In this inner exchange of love, our familiarity with God grows, and all fear of Him dissipates—without our letting our guard down. We remain at peace and accept with humility and gratitude that we still have a long way to go.