DP 186 - the hidden stream of Providence

DP 186
The fact is that a person would go counter to God and also deny Him
if he were to clearly see the operations of His Divine providence,
and this for the reason
that the human being is impelled by the delight of self-love.
Moreover, this delight constitutes his very life.
Consequently, when a person is kept in the delight of his life,
he experiences his freedom,
for freedom and that delight go hand in hand.
If, then, he were to perceive
that he is constantly being diverted from his delight,
he would be enraged
as against one trying to destroy his life
and would regard him as his foe.
To prevent this from happening,
the Lord does not clearly appear in His Divine providence,
but draws a person along by it
as silently as a hidden current or favorable stream does a ship.
Consequently a person does not know
but that he continually has his independence,
for freedom and independence are bound up together.
It is apparent from this
that freedom incorporates into a person
what Divine providence introduces,
which would not be the case if Divine providence were to show itself.
(To be incorporated is to become part of the life.)