Living a Hidden Life

The Lord Jesus lived a hidden life. He was a wonderful pattern of the one who lived a hidden life of prayer. He used to go up to the mountain to pray alone with the Father (Mattew 14:23). This kind of hidden life is the principle of the kingdom life. Therefore, He taught us to do all our righteous deeds in secret, made known only to the Father who sees in secret. Even in doing these righteous deeds, one has to do so with a poor spirit and pure in heart (Matthew 5:3,8).

These days, I have personally been enjoying the ministry of the word. The Lord specifically has been speaking to me to live a hidden life. By nature, I love to be manifested especially while doing good and righteous deeds. The Lord in His mercy had to rebuke me and perfect me to learn this lesson of living a hidden life. He did so by using my fellow brothers with whom I have been coordinating the Lord's work in this country. I have been especially graced to be surrounded by brothers who can correct me and perfect me when the need arises. I have even been more graced to be able to receive the fellowship of the brothers. This requires much grace to put myself to death and gradually learn the lesson of bearing the cross. Thank the Lord for His mercy in perfecting me to live a hidden life.

The Lord has also been revealing to me the benefits of living a hidden life. Some crucial points that help me much are below:

Living a hidden life is a good way of dealing with myself and my natural man. The egoist self often tries to lift up his ugly head when doing good deeds. Learning to live a hidden life is a big blow to the self. In fact, a good way to crucify the flesh and its natural "good" showing off desire. This also is walking the pathway of the cross. This is the deduction of the self for the progress in life.

Living a hidden life nurtures the seed of the divine life and prepares the environment for the growth in life. This is a healthy way of growing in life. Just as a seed can grow in good soil freed from hidden stones and manifested thorns, a hidden life strengthens the growth in life of the believers. This also enables one to harbor secret experiences and enjoyments of Christ, thereby accumulating the riches of Christ for growth unto full maturity.

Living a hidden life also strengthens our fellowship with the Father, though our relationship with Him has also been firm. The more hidden the life within, the more the deeper the experience of the Father's divine life will be. This will cause the root of our spiritual life to grow deep. All deep and strong roots are hidden. Just as the strength of a tree is in the depth of its root, so the strength of our spiritual life is in the depth of our hidden life with the Father. Then, with these deep experiences of the divine life, we can render help to anyone genuinely and deeply. Deep calls unto deep (Ps. 42:7).

Living a hidden life will produce a pure and beautiful spiritual life that can recover, revive, and make other buds and be renowned. 

I will be like the dew to Israel; He will bud like the lily and will send forth his roots like the trees of Lebanon. His shoots will go forth; And his splendor will be like that of the olive tree, and his fragrance, like that of the trees of Lebanon. Those who sit under his shade will return; They will revive like grain and will bud like the vine; His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon. (Hosea 14:5-7, RecVer)

With this hidden life, we must also remember to fellowship with the needy saints when the Lord so allows. Yes, our experiences of the Lord must be kept secret, but when the need arises, we must be able to minister our enjoyment and experiences of Chstia as life to the members of the Body in need. In the Body of Christ, we are all members. We must care for one another and fellowship with one another. Just like Paul did in 2 Cor. 12:1-4 when he eventually shared his experience of the third heaven fourteen years after the incident. That too, when the believers needed to hear such word of living testimony for the sake of the truth and for the shepherding of the members of the Body of Christ.

Lord, grace me day by day, to live a hidden life and grow in life unto full maturity.