St. Jane de Chantal continues her Conference on Reformation of Soul by giving two addtional ways we can improve our inner lives:
“The second means of reformation is to exercise ourselves in prayer and in mortification, for these are the two wings for flying to God; one sustains the other.
There are souls that God raises high in prayer before they have laid a good foundation in mortification; perhaps it is because He knows them to be so weak, that, if He gave them not these sweets, they would do nothing of any worth, and would not have the courage to persevere and be exercised in virtue. When prayer is founded on mortification it is a very sure basis, and indeed, we must always build it upon this foundation, whether before or after being raised to it.”
Source: Conferences of St. Jane de Chantal, Conference 1