In the previous message we mentioned the matter of dealing with our disposition, our character, and our peculiar traits. In this message I would like to say a word concerning our peculiar traits. A number of saints among us have strong peculiar traits. To some extent, those traits have spoiled these saints. To deal with our peculiar traits, we all need to receive the breaking of the cross. Brother Nee spoke much concerning character and the breaking of the cross. Peculiar traits are particular characteristics of our character. A good character is one that has no particular traits. Brother Nee said that if a person’s peculiar traits could not be broken before he was fifty years old, it would be nearly impossible to break those traits after that.
A peculiar person is always different from others; he is not common. Everyone has some peculiar traits, but some are light, whereas others are very heavy. In our married life the most troublesome thing is our peculiar traits. It is difficult for a person who is strong in peculiar traits to have a good married life, unless his spouse will always give in and allow him to be what he is. Because both spouses have peculiar traits, they must both learn to give in. Whenever we give in to others, our peculiar traits are annulled. However, if we insist on our own way or our habits, we may become more peculiar. How much we can be used by the Lord depends mainly on how much we would receive the breaking of the cross. The breaking of the cross is mainly to break our disposition, character, and peculiar traits. We all excuse ourselves for our peculiar traits, saying that we were born that way. However, we should never say this. We should not make any excuse for our peculiarities. We should not believe that our excuses are right. Actually, no excuse is right.
The practice of praying long prayers may also be a peculiar trait. On one occasion Brother Nee was strong to say that often we pray prayers that are not really prayers. Even in our way of praying, our peculiar traits may be very strong. We should learn to go along with the atmosphere in the church meeting, not insisting on our own way or habit.
The Christian life is a life in which we must always go against ourselves. If we do everything against ourselves, we are right. In Matthew 16:24 the Lord said, “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” To deny ourselves is to be against ourselves. Some brothers have the peculiar trait of speaking with many words. They think that the more sentences, phrases, and clauses they speak, the better people will be able to understand them. Eventually, after their speaking, people may not know what they have spoken about.
Some saints are unable to pray without the “cane” of description or explanation. If we consider Paul’s two prayers in Ephesians 1 and 3, we will see that they contained no explanation. In 3:14-17 Paul prayed, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father...that He would grant you...to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man, that Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith.” Paul told the Lord what he wanted, without adding any explanation. A great part of our Christian life and work has been exhausted by our peculiar traits.
We need to prepare ourselves by considering how to teach all the subjects that we have picked up in the recovery. We need to consider how to teach redemption, justification, and reconciliation. If you do not know how to teach these matters, you can look into some of our books in order to prepare yourself. When the groups come together, they should practice this kind of mutual asking, mutual answering, and mutual teaching. We will need this, and we will use this very much.