Sometimes we grow resentful as we grow older. When our image of an ideal life evaporates and painful historical, personal, family, or financial realities break through to the surface, it can be most disturbing.
Let us try to see the pain of our human and spiritual journey "from above." The great art is to gradually trust that life's interruptions are the places where God is molding you into the person you are called to be. Interruptions are not disruptions of your way to holiness, but rather are places where you are being formed into the unique person God calls you to be. You know you are living a grateful life when whatever happens is received as an invitation to deepen your heart, to strengthen your love, and to broaden your hope. You are living a grateful life when something is taken away from you that you thought was so important and you find yourself willing to say, "Maybe I'm being invited to a deeper way of living."
Prayer for Today
O Lord Divine, give me new eyes to see the pain of my life
as your molding of me into your beloved child.
Lent Online Book Discussion
There is still time to participate in our online Lent book discussion. This Lent's featured book is Sabbatical Journey: The Diary of His Final Year.Facilitated by Brynn Lawrence and Ray Glennon, you are welcome to participate in any way that is spiritually nourishing for you!
In this week's episode of "Now & Then", we feature a timely talk by best-selling author John Ortbergon finding hope in the midst of loss, discouragement and despair.
You are not what you do, although you do a lot. You are not what you have collected in terms of friendships and connections, although you might have many. You are not the popularity that you have received. You are not the success of your work. You are not what people say about you, whether they speak well or whether they speak poorly about you. All these things that keep you quite busy, quite occupied, and often quite preoccupied are not telling the truth about who you are. I am here to remind you in the name of God that you are the Beloved Daughters and Sons of God, and that God says to you, “I have called you from all eternity and you are engraved from all eternity in the palms of my hands. You are mine. You belong to me, and I love you with an everlasting love.”
Consider our monthly giving program to sustain the ability to extend Henri's legacy and make his work available to those who seek spiritual formation and nourishment. Click here to sign up today.
This week's episode of "Now & Then" features From Burned Out to Beloved by author and social worker Bethany Dearborn Hiser. In this interview, Bethany offers much needed wisdom about soul care for wounded healers and those on the front lines of care.
The words of Jesus "Set your hearts on God's kingdom first . . . and all other things will be given you as well" summarize best the way we are called to live our lives. With our hearts set on God's kingdom. That kingdom is not some faraway land that we hope to reach, nor is it life after death or an ideal state of affairs. No. God's Kingdom is, first of all, the active presence of God's Spirit within us, offering us the freedom we truly desire.
And so the main question becomes: how do we set our hearts on the Kingdom first when our hearts are preoccupied with so many things? Somehow a radical change of heart is required, a change that allows us to experience the reality of our existence from God's place.
However, as it is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
Consider our monthly giving program to sustain the ability to extend Henri's legacy and make his work available to those who seek spiritual formation and nourishment. Click here to sign up today.
