Month: July 2020

Imagination can be one of our greatest gifts, but it can also be used to hurt us.

The storms of life can grip us with fear. They can cause us to freeze. They can pull us in so all of our focus is on the storm. The result can be anxiety, stress and worry. Like the apostles, we tend to focus on the storm, not on who is in the boat with us.

God is a God of peace. Yet we seem to act as if he is the God of upheaval and chaos when we focus all our attention on the storm and not Him.  The storms come in many different ways. The  one I am focusing on here is the storms from our imaginations that fill our heads with negativity.  We are all set.  We’ve worked hard and have carefully thought out our plans.  We are excited.  We are filled with hope and willingness to move forward.  We know we are in God’s will.  We have prayed and discerned.  We see the good that our decision will bring.  Then our imagination kicks in with thoughts that seem like facts.  Suddenly out of left field we are certain we can’t carry out our plan because it would be too hard.  We suddenly believe nobody would care and we would just be wasting time.  We entertain the possibility of being laughed at or ridiculed.  We become certain only bad will come from it even though we can’t even identify what that bad may be.  It’s at those times we can rest assured that it is not God leading us with thoughts such as these. He leads lovingly and in a calm manner. 

This can happen with large scale events and even with common daily circumstances.  The moment we realize this is not the voice of God, we need to shut it down. We must not entertain it. More often than not, the voice is stopping us from doing good or trying to entice us to do bad. We must, as Saint Ignatius says, act like a strong woman and say no so that the enemy will flee.  When we make this a practice with the small situations we find ourselves in, it will become a developed skill in the larger ones.

I had to pull in the reigns of my own imagination this week. I begin focusing my attention on the storm that was over powering the positivity, love and hope from God. It was causing me to doubt what I knew was of God.  It was my own imagination bullying me.  I had to choose to stop the imagination, turn my back on the “what if’s” and turned to God.  I turned my attention to Him and not the storm.  I let Him calm my storm.  

I looked for God in all they ways that were around me, trusting that within my life, He had already supplied me with the tools to fight a battle He knew was coming well before it came.  The tools I had been supplied with were:

1. The determination to refuse to entertain the negative and demeaning thoughts. 

God‘s love for us is so intense. We need to embrace it and pay no attention to the bullying that is the voice of the enemy. If God wants us to go on a different path, He will not lead us by fear or demeaning ways. He will lead gently and lovingly. When the loud voice of the stranger tries to grab our attention, we must not engage it.  We must silence it by focusing on God’s whispers and all He is offering us to weather the storm.

2. Observing Others

I recalled the actions of solid people in faith that I had observed over time and how they handled the attempts presented to them in hopes they would abandon God’s will.  Being in a state of heightened awareness, I also noticed people who were currently staying the course on a path they believed God called them to.  In all these people I made the following observations. 

• They refused to listen to anyone who spoke negatively as an attempt to let their imagination entertain any negative thoughts and discourage them from what they knew they were being called to do.  They were already on the steady course and God was their focus.
• Their path gave them purpose with passion regardless of what the naysayers said because they had already discerned they were doing God’s will.  Love for God energized them.  It was their driving force.  After much hard work, they were ready to share what they had done with their gift.  Letting their imagination entertain negativity and get discouraged was not a door they would open.  They knew the road they were on was other oriented.
• They fought with their faith in order to stop the sudden negativity.  They trusted that God wouldn’t suddenly shift gears on them before the task given them by Him was complete.  They trusted that if God gave them something, they needed to use it and let Him worry about the results.  They trusted that if, however,  God did want them to go down a different path, He would lead gently and with love.  They knew they could recognize Him in love, not the negativity their imagination was tempted to entertain and the discouragement it would offer.

It is true that we can fall off the right path and we should not instantly shut out people as they could be helping us, but discernment in knowing God’s voice can help us to know when it looks more like bullying from others or even ourselves.  Sometimes we have to ignore the delivery.  Discernment can help us to follow hope and the love of self giving and not follow despair or a turning inward towards self love.  We can discern when they are trying to get us back on the path we originally set out on and may have fallen off of or if they are trying to pull us off the path that is good and right.  In times that it may seem confusing, it is always good to talk to a trusted friend, pastor, mentor or spiritual companion that can help you discern.

3. Talking to God about it. 

We must pray and make God the focus in whatever way we know builds up the special relationship we have built with Him.  It is in that special relationship, that communication of love, that we recognize our Advocate and can clearly see that the other voice does not have our best interests at heart.  This is why regularly praying is essential.  We can’t wait until an imaginative storm comes to think we can know how to recognize God’s voice.

4. Scripture 

I turned to scripture that I had used in the past that always gave me strength.  It is always good to have a list of go-to-scriptures that touch our heart and seem to have a way of giving us peace when the storms of life come.  

These methods quickly helped me find my grounding again.  Instead of embracing despair, I found hope.  Instead of fear, I found faith.  Instead of allowing my imagination to hurt me, I reminded myself that imagination is a gift to glorify God with for creative purposes, not hurting me with thoughts that are contrary to God’s loving and merciful nature.  God never brings about His will by acting contrary to His goodness.  It is in my relationship with God and paying attention to Him in the many ways He presented Himself to me that I found my heart stirred up for God.  It is a gift available to all of us and one that greatly helps when the storms come.

I hope this reflection and these points to ponder help you as much as they helped me in knowing God more personally.

Reflections for Sitting in Prayer with God.

Read and reflect on Lamentations 3.  Notice the negative imagination in verses 1-20.  I seriously doubt his flesh was torn into pieces.  Notice the contrast in verses 21-40. Notice the contrast started with the power of hope.  

How do things change in your own life when you put your hope on God and not the storm of your imagination?

Is there something on your mind that has been stirred up negatively through your imagination?  Do the thoughts seem like the nature of God or His enemy?  

What has been the result of it?  Talk to God about that.   

Practice not entertaining the bully that takes up residency in your head.  

If you know you are walking in God’s will and people seem to be trying to pull you off the path, but you are still feeling confused, talk to a trusted friend to make sure you haven’t gone astray.

We are nothing, we have nothing and can do nothing without God. We are truly poor, but in this poverty we can be powerful and make a difference for both God and neighbor. 

POWERFUL FOR GOD

It is in being aware of our poverty that we can make a difference. It is in our nothingness, united to God and His Divinity, that enables us to accomplish even the smallest of things. When we are aware of this, we become powerful vessels for God because we become the prayer. It is in this state that we can do all God asks of us because our acknowledged nothingness coupled with our yes enables Him to work through us.

There are different gifts, but the same spirit; there are different ministries, but the same Lord; there are different works, but the same God who accomplishes all. The Spirit’s presence is shown in someway in each person for the good of all. (1Cor 4-7)

It amazes me to think of this divine union we are blessed to be a part of. In our nothingness, we have it all. We are never alone. We never have to do anything by ourselves. We always have the One who cares deeply for us in us and by our side. When fear sets in when we set out to do something that challenges us, we need only to step back and be mindful that we are vessels. We are not alone and God is going to accomplish what He needs done through our loving yes. The same holds true when loneliness creeps in. We are never alone. We are always being held by our very loving God.

POWERFUL FOR OUR NEIGHBOR

Being mindful that we have nothing without God not only connects us to God, but to our neighbor. Right now, for instance, I am sitting on my couch writing. I would not have the couch nor the laptop were it not for God. This reality can be taken as far back and deep as I care to go. For instance, who built the faculty where the couch was made? Once made, what employees helped to make it? Who supported them while making the couch? Who helped to feed them, get them to work etc.? Who helped to get it to the store? Who worked on the roads for the delivery truck to drive on? Who built the truck? Who supported the workers? I can continue this line of wandering right up to my door.  At this moment I can take comfort in knowing I supported the livelihood of many by my yes and because of all the other yeses, I have a couch. From the yeses of others I also have a home where I am safe to sit on it. I keep it clean and that gives respect to those who helped me to have it and those who now use it all while  giving honor to God.  I can now invite friends and family over and because they have a place to sit, it is an aid in the building of community. All these jobs may seem small and isolated, but they all contributed to me having a place to sit and all the good that can come from it. This is how we know we are united as one. This is how we know we have nothing without God.  It is in the gifts that He gave each individual that He was able to get me a couch. All we have works this way. 

We all may seem small, but when we step back, we realize that is in our smallness, our poverty, that we are able to be in union with others and God.  We may be tempted to want to do it all, but in having only one small part, we have a powerful union and can make a difference.

We can take every aspect of our lives and pause for a brief moment to realize the union we have with God and neighbor. All matters whether we are giving or receiving. Later today I have to mail my son some important paperwork. I cannot do this without God and the help He offers through others.  Think of all the people that will help in being able to get this document to my son and all that he will be able to do because of it. Our connections to our neighbors are everywhere.  

POWERFUL PRAYER FOR OUR NEIGHBOR IN NEED

All we do matters. Nothing is insignificant and when we are mindful of God‘s presence in us while we are doing all things, we become the prayer. Before we do anything, no matter how big or small, we can begin by offering it as a prayer for any intention God places on our heart. By that, we not only are making a difference in the lives of people that will directly be touched in some way by what we are doing, but we can help people that are not going to be touched by our immediate actions simply because we used it as a means of prayer. That is amazing. That is a way we can work towards praying without ceasing.

SUMMARY

Christ is like a single body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. For the body itself is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. (1Cor 12 & 14).

We are one.  We are all connected to God and each other.  We need each other to survive and that is possible because we are each united to God who is our source for survival.  Being mindful of this is one way we can live out the the two most important commandments…loving God and neighbor.  With hearts filled with love for God and neighbor, we want to make a difference.  Often we are frustrated because we feel we are not doing enough.  It is in those times that we can be mindful of the smallest act we make, connected to God and neighbor is always vital. God uses everything! 

For Prayerful Reflection with God:

Meditate on the two bible passages above… 1Cor 4-7 and 1Cor 12 & 14.  

Prayerfully reflect on the reality that we are nothing, have nothing and can do nothing without God because we are truly poor. 

Reflect on the various things you have done today and how they made a difference both directly and indirectly, as well, if you offered the actions up as a prayer. 

In what ways were you helped today because you were connected with people you don’t even know?

What prayer intentions do you have that you can offer your various actions up for today?  When you feel like you are lacking in something and need help, consider offering it up for the materially poor who are lacking and need help as well.

Try and be mindful of your union with God in all you do.  While it may be impossible to keep the awareness continually, beginning each action and periodically looking up to God is a beautiful way to help to keep your heart  stirred up for God.

Talk to God about all of this.

Destination…Purpose! If only we had a GPS that could take us to our purpose!  The truth is, if we did have one, we would find it to be a very short trip.

At various times in our lives we think about our purpose and set out to try and find it.  We often look for large scale ideas that can make an impact, but we fail to look at the now and how we are already making a difference. I have three highly independent children who are out in the world doing three different things with their lives. They are each using their gifts to make their corner of the world better.  This is what parenting works towards.  That means that in the times that we are changing diapers, making dinners, helping with homework, getting them to sports practice and cleaning the house, we are fulfilling our purpose. We may not see it at the time, but we will see it in the future. This is not just the case for parents.  This is true for everyone.  Together with God we make a difference. 

The fulfillment of our purpose happens when we are fulfilling our purpose each day that is set before us. 

Parents may see only pots and pans.  Children may only see homework.  The to-do-list, in our limitations, can seem mundane and endless, but God sees the bigger picture and the differences we are making. 

My children are grown, but my purpose in life is not over. It is set before me just as it was when I was raising them.  Of course, some things take great discernment.  I am not referring to those bigger decisions.  You also cannot say yes to everything or you will burn out.  I am referring to the times we say yes in the simplicity of our daily lives.  These times form us and direct our path without us even thinking about it.  In most situations, among the pots and pans, so to speak, we often come to realize that all any of us have to do is say yes for today and each today that comes to make a difference. We say yes to those who we have the ability to help. We say yes to being good stewards of the gifts we have been given. We say yes to giving what we have and receiving what others may want to share with us.  By that sharing, we form commUNITY, which is always vital.  We say yes to new opportunities if they seem right and good and we say yes to learning. In the stillness of our hearts we follow what we become passionate about even if it seems silly. 

We say yes every day to the desires of the Father’s heart and we trust that with each step we are making a difference. Each step is taking us to the finish line whether we can see it or not. Each finish line is not the end, but the beginning of a new purpose.  By this we see that there is nothing ordinary about any day in our lives. 

While there are countless different things we say yes to, when we are striving to make a difference, they all have one thing in common.  They all entail sacrifice.  To make a difference,  we say yes to benefit someone else, not our self gain.  It is other oriented.  On our own we are incapable of sacrifice, but the greater we grow in our love for God, the greater is our ability to sacrifice with love…and not with grumbling.    Yes, God is love and and He has shown us that true love is in sacrifice. 

Being mindful of being united to Jesus in the sacrifice, helps us to be the unceasing prayer because on our own, we would never be able to make even the smallest other-oriented gesture.  That is why we are in great union with Him when we sacrifice and why everything we do becomes a powerful prayer. 

Even self-care is other oriented as in taking care of our physical, mental and spiritual selves, we can maintain our health and with a refreshed mind and spirit, we can more readily give with a heart of love. 

During Covid, my routine changed. In these months I have used the time to create the life I would want when I retired. Having my son with me in the beginning was a big help as it is in his nature to be a supportive coach. When he stepped out of the car at the airport, I thought that my support had gone and without my cheerleader, I wouldn’t be able to continue on the road I had begun to travel on at the start of Covid. Then I realized that was not true. The roles had been reversed. Over the last two months he was raising me so I could be independent on this new purpose-filled road.  His returning home was a fulfillment of his purpose at that time. When he got on the plane, a new purpose for him had begun just as mine had. All the steps I needed to begin my retirement journey were prepared before the road would be traveled on because each day, step-by-step for the past several years, I was fulfilling my purpose for the day until the time came for me to have a support system to pull it all together.  

In fulfilling my daily purpose, God was gently getting me ready for a new purpose, a purpose that could not be met without first daily preparing for it with my yes.

Then, when it was all set, He sent me the encouragement I would need to hit go.

Each day that we say yes, we are fulfilling our purpose. It is met with all that we are given. God doesn’t make it hard. We do. Our gifts, talents, circumstances and heart lead us day by day. When we fail to realize it, we fail to enjoy the spectacular gift of today. We fail to see the loving hand of God preparing us ahead of time for what we will need down the line. 

It is that very hand that loves us that assures us we don’t need to worry about tomorrow. We only need to do what we need to do today. 

To procrastinate and put off things will cause problems as that is our free-will no. It is a way of blocking the very thing we want…purpose.  The things we put off way heavy on us, making it difficult to move forward.  But with our yes, we can soar because we are carried safely in the wings of God. Psalm 91:4

For Prayerful Reflection with God

Are you aware that when you do things while being mindful of God’s presence, by your very life, you become a prayer?  If it’s hard to be mindful constantly that is understandable.  Try starting and ending each thing you do being mindful of God.  If possible to remember, take a small pause while doing the job to remember you are doing your responsibility with God.

When doing for others, do you have a selfish motive or an other-oriented motive?

Are you grumbling in your sacrifices?  Perhaps you need some self-care so that you may be more loving when you do for others.

Reflect on how many things you said yes to in the simplicity of your day and how that made a difference for others.

Are you giving time to explore your gifts and grow in the things that interest you?  Are you mindful that by your growth, God may be preparing you for the future?  At the very least, these may be a cause of refreshment to you and when you use your gifts, you always glorify God because on your own, you cannot do them.

When you think about your past, can you now see how God was preparing you for what you are doing today?