In and among the circumstances of life

"Books," said St. Augustine after his conversion,
"could not teach me charity." We still keep on
thinking they can. We do not realize ... the utter
distinctness of God and the things of God. Psychology
of religion can not teach us prayer, and ethics
cannot teach us love. Only Christ can do that, and
He teaches by the direct method, in and among the
circumstances of life. He does not mind about our
being comfortable. He wants us to be strong, able
to tackle life and be Christians, be apostles in
life, so we must be trained by the ups and downs,
the rough and tumble of life.
- Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941),
The Light of Christ