There are large numbers of people in the Christian Church who seem to spend the whole of their life seeking something which they can never find, seeking for some kind of happiness and blessedness. They go around from meeting to meeting, and convention to convention, always hoping they are going to get this wonderful thing, this experience that is going to fill them with joy, and flood them with some ecstasy. They see that other people have had it, but they themselves do not seem to get it… Now that is not surprising. We are not meant to hunger and thirst after experiences; we are not meant to hunger and thirst after blessedness. If we want to be truly happy and blessed we must hunger and thirst after righteousness. We must not put blessedness or happiness or experience in the first place.
Seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state where it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lords will whatever it may be. Having done this I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impressions. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions. Then I seek the will of the Spirit of God through or in connection with the word of God. The Spirit and the word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the word I leave myself open to great delusions also. Next I take into account providential circumstances. These plainly indicate Gods will in connection with His word and Spirit. Then I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me. Thus through prayer to God, the study of the word, and reflection I come to a deliberate judgement according to the best of my ability and knowledge. And if my mind is thus at peace and continues so after two or three petitions, I proceed accordingly.