Counsels for the Church - Ellen G. White

Reach out for Higher Spiritual Attainments
The pure element of love will expand the soul for higher attainments, for
increased knowledge of divine things, so that it will not be satisfied short of
the fullness. Most professed Christians have no sense of the spiritual strength
they might obtain were they as ambitious, zealous, and persevering to gain a
knowledge of divine things as they are to obtain the paltry, perishable things
of this life. The masses professing to be Christians have been satisfied to be
spiritual dwarfs. They have no disposition to make it their object to seek first
the kingdom of God and His righteousness; hence godliness is a hidden
mystery to them, they cannot understand it. They know not Christ by
experimental knowledge.
Let those men and women who are satisfied with their dwarfed, crippled
condition in divine things be suddenly transported to heaven and for an
instant witness the high, the holy state of perfection that ever abides there,--
every soul filled with love; every countenance beaming with joy; enchanting
music in melodious strains rising in honor of God and the Lamb; and
ceaseless streams of light flowing upon the saints from the face of Him who
sitteth upon the throne, and from the Lamb; and let them realize that there is
higher and greater joy yet to experience, for the more they receive of the
enjoyment of God, the more is their capacity increased to rise higher in
eternal enjoyment, and thus continue to receive new and greater supplies
from the ceaseless sources of glory and bliss inexpressible,--could such
persons, I ask, mingle with the heavenly throng, participate in their songs,
and endure the pure, exalted, transporting glory that emanates from God and
the Lamb? Oh, no! their probation was lengthened for years that they might
learn the language of heaven, that they might become "partakers of the
divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust." 2 Peter 1:4. But they had a selfish business of their own to engage the
powers of their minds and the energies of their beings. They could not afford
to serve God unreservedly and make this a business. Worldly enterprises
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