The Shortest Path to Perfection: A Journey of Abandonment and Pure Love

In our pursuit of holiness, we often seek the most direct route to perfection, yearning for a clear path that will lead us closer to God. In his profound work, "Abandonment to Divine Providence," Jean-Pierre de Caussade offers us just that—a simple yet challenging way to achieve perfect love and sanctity. In a letter addressed to Sister Charlotte-Elizabeth Bourcier de Monthureux, Father de Caussade provides timeless wisdom on how to embrace this path through complete and total abandonment to God's will.

Father de Caussade begins by recalling the story from the Gospel where a young man approaches Jesus, asking how he might attain eternal life. Jesus first instructs him to keep the commandments. When the young man affirms that he has faithfully kept them, Jesus goes further, saying, “If you would be perfect, go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and come, follow me.” This call to perfection is not just about material detachment but a deeper spiritual invitation to let go of everything—our own views, our self-image, our desires—and to abandon ourselves entirely to God's will.

Reflecting on this, I’m reminded of a time when I faced a significant decision in my life. The path ahead was unclear, and I found myself overwhelmed with options, each one seeming to pull me in different directions. I was tempted to rely on my understanding and desires, weighing pros and cons, trying to foresee the outcome of each choice. But then, in a moment of prayer, I felt a deep conviction to surrender my plans to God—to trust that His will, though mysterious, was the surest path to peace and fulfillment. It was a call to abandon my need for control and to allow God to guide me, even if that meant stepping into the unknown.

Father de Caussade’s letter echoes this experience, urging us to divest ourselves of all self-interest and to give ourselves up without reserve to God's guidance. He speaks of an abandonment that is total, blind, and absolute—a surrender so complete that it leaves no room for personal desires or concerns. For those who are sincerely striving for holiness, this abandonment becomes synonymous with pure love, where the soul’s focus shifts entirely from itself to the infinite goodness of God.

This idea of pure love, where we love God for His sake alone, challenges us to move beyond a faith that seeks rewards or avoids punishment. It invites us to love God simply because He is God, worthy of all our love and devotion. The closer we come to this pure love, the more our thoughts and actions become centered on God’s will rather than our own. This is the essence of the spiritual life—the call to lose ourselves in the depth of God’s will, finding our true identity and purpose not in our desires but in His.

In my own life, I have found that the more I practice this abandonment, the more peace and clarity I experience. It is not always easy. There are moments of doubt, fear, and even resistance. But in those moments, I am reminded of Father de Caussade’s words, “Give yourself up without reserve and forever to the guidance and good pleasure of God.” This surrender is not a one-time act but a daily, moment-by-moment choice to trust in God’s love and wisdom.

Father de Caussade also shares the testimony of souls who, having crossed the daunting threshold of total abandonment, found themselves overwhelmed with joy and confidence in God’s will. These souls, who once feared the darkness and uncertainty that abandonment might bring, discovered that in letting go, they were filled with an even greater light—an assurance that God’s will, though often incomprehensible, is always holy, just, and ultimately leads to our salvation.

In one of the most powerful passages, Father de Caussade speaks of the soul that is so lost in God’s will that it no longer has its own desires or life, but is entirely engulfed in the abyss of God’s love. This image of being completely lost in God is both humbling and inspiring. It challenges us to rethink our approach to spirituality, not as a series of tasks to complete or virtues to achieve, but as a relationship with God that demands our whole being—our thoughts, desires, and will.

As I continue my spiritual journey, I am learning that this path of abandonment is not about passivity or inaction. Instead, it is an active and intentional choice to place God at the center of everything. It is about trusting that even in the midst of trials and uncertainties, God’s will is always for our good, and that in abandoning ourselves to Him, we find the true freedom and joy that we seek.

For those of us striving for perfection, Father de Caussade’s message is clear: The shortest way to holiness is through abandonment to Divine Providence. It is a path that requires courage, faith, and a deep love for God. But it is also a path that promises the greatest rewards—peace, joy, and a perfect union with God. As we embrace this journey, let us remember that it is not about what we can achieve on our own, but about what God can accomplish in us when we surrender ourselves entirely to His will.