“…let yourselves by pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life.” 1 Peter 1
Our ability to adapt to a new situation may say a lot about us. My experience with change often reveals a lot of the things in my life that I like to have control over. A sense of control in life usually enables us to feel sane and a consistent schedule is found to be healthy for most.
Enter first born son.
The control I like to have over the cleanliness of my house, to cook when I want, to read, to run, to have quiet time, and to go out with friends all flew out the window. Yes, I know it is only a season. However, it has been very revealing with regards to how many of my days I spend fighting to have my old life back. Fighting leads to frustration. Frustration to defeat. The days I am able to genuinely let go of the list I want to accomplish leave me feeling a lot more energized than the days when I fight tooth and nail to accomplish that list. When I’m able to embrace whatever the day holds (hard or easy), I find it becomes an invitation to allow the Spirit to do the work that He Wills, which is usually the work of surrender.
All this to say that I think this is the daily work of Spirituality and Transformation. The work of Surrender. Perhaps even the Way of the Cross.
“If your religious practice is nothing more than to remain sincerely open to the ongoing challenges of life and love, you will find God – and also yourself. Keeping the heart spaces and mind spaces open, sometimes even “in hell” is the essential work of spirituality…Great people keep adjusting to what life offers them and what life demands of them. Even the intelligence of animals is measured by their ability to cleverly adjust to new circumstances. Why should we be any different” (Rohr, The Naked Now)
Our ability to adapt to a new situation may say a lot about us. My experience with change often reveals a lot of the things in my life that I like to have control over. A sense of control in life usually enables us to feel sane and a consistent schedule is found to be healthy for most.
Enter first born son.
The control I like to have over the cleanliness of my house, to cook when I want, to read, to run, to have quiet time, and to go out with friends all flew out the window. Yes, I know it is only a season. However, it has been very revealing with regards to how many of my days I spend fighting to have my old life back. Fighting leads to frustration. Frustration to defeat. The days I am able to genuinely let go of the list I want to accomplish leave me feeling a lot more energized than the days when I fight tooth and nail to accomplish that list. When I’m able to embrace whatever the day holds (hard or easy), I find it becomes an invitation to allow the Spirit to do the work that He Wills, which is usually the work of surrender.
All this to say that I think this is the daily work of Spirituality and Transformation. The work of Surrender. Perhaps even the Way of the Cross.
“If your religious practice is nothing more than to remain sincerely open to the ongoing challenges of life and love, you will find God – and also yourself. Keeping the heart spaces and mind spaces open, sometimes even “in hell” is the essential work of spirituality…Great people keep adjusting to what life offers them and what life demands of them. Even the intelligence of animals is measured by their ability to cleverly adjust to new circumstances. Why should we be any different” (Rohr, The Naked Now)
2 comments:
HI Andrea
Your post really sparked an area in my life that I have intentionally worked on in the last 2 years! I think that it took me 7 years to finally embrace motherhood instead of trying to get away from it. To love being inconvienienced because of the little souls that I am nurturing. I regret that it took me so long to love love love being a mommy. I always liked it but I longed more for time away from my littles than for time with them. I am so greatful that the Lord answered my begging to help me embrace motherhoo. It has been so freeing and I am sucking the marrow out of life so much more than I ever have and I know I have much farther to go! Surrender is sweet! I think that it is SO wonderful that you are doing this work so much earlier in your mother walk than I did! You will be so thankful later on! I guess hindsight is 20/20.
Be blessed on your journey!!
Andrea, these words are water for my soul. Thank you for sharing these insights, and I pray that you will embrace your own words - and the words borrowed from others - minute by minutes.
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