We all know the feeling. After giving everything we've got, we are told (with no doubt good intent) a few pointers to make the event, project, or work even better next time. Of course, we can always be better which inevitably means that we were not good enough, which drawn to its finality means we failed or so we feel.
In the spiritual life, taking such an approach is guaranteed to leave us exhausted, frustrated, and ready to give up. There is a better way that Christ offers us. Saint Paul speaks of hope, faith and love with the greatest of these being love. Saint Augustine is noted as having remarked, "Love and do as you will." Christ tells us in the gospels to love God with your whole heart, mind, and soul and love your neighbor as yourself. We hear that God is Love in 1 John 4.
Paul describes love in 1 Cor 13: 4-8, 13:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Substitute the word Love for God and we hear that God is patient, God is kind...God rejoices with the truth...God never fails. We are called to friendship, a close companionship with the Lord by a loving God who desires our good.
Thus, the spiritual life is not about assets, credits, debts, or liabilities at all. Our lives are about being loved and loving God. When our thoughts, judgements, and decisions center on whether we have loved God in our words and actions, then we are no longer thinking of credits or assets at all, nor are we anxious about our liabilities, debts, or perceived failures. We become a free people ready to echo Saint Augustine's words, "Love (as God loves), and do as you will." Our lives become a unique story of God's love and we can place our full trust in this God who loves us.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please share your reflections on the talks and join in answering the discussion questions.