Dead Works Deprive us of Life.
We can miss the bulk-load of intensity in spiritual activity when we have missed the intention (the right intention). Which matters more? The length of a spiritual activity or its intensity? Does a Soul caught away in the spirit of prayer realize how many hours has gone by? Yet we can hinder ourselves by being too conscious of the duration-point we are trying to score. What are we trying to achieve? Who are we trying to impress? And what points are we trying to prove? Yes we have read of many who thrived in long hours of fellowship with God. How did they do it? Did they try to ACHIEVE it or did they lean on the Holy Spirit to carry them through? Isn't it that they tasted of the life that can be found in spiritual communion, began to long for it and became "addicted" to it? And then when they missed it, they knew something was missing. "In your presence....there are PLEASURES (ecstasies if you like) forevermore" Psalm 16:11. (Emphasis mine) I'll say two ...