There will always be areas in our spiritual life where we need to grow. There will always be places where God pushes past our own prowess, not so that we can learn a new skill, but so that we can receive God’s work through another. A spirituality defined solely by our own efforts is ultimately narrow in scope and narrow in experience.
Spirituality
Pray Different
Many of us have a list of people we pray for, either mentally or written down. We pray for these people faithfully and diligently, regularly bringing their names to Jesus. But do we pray for these prayers like I prayed for Emmanuel, silently and quickly? Do these people know we pray for them? Is there an invitation we may be missing?
Why Henri?
I recently led a summer retreat titled "The Spirituality of Henri Nouwen." Henri has long been one of my favourite authors to read, and it’s not too much of a stretch to say that I see him as a spiritual guide of some sort. During this retreat, someone asked the simple question, “So, why Henri?” In other words, why was Henri Nouwen the person that I gravitated to?
Beautiful Intersections
There are times when God peels back the layers of God’s work, allowing us to see the intricate working of God’s will. These beautiful intersections of God’s will with our participation remind us that God is active in ways far beyond our perception or understanding.
If God is your co-pilot….
Meister Eckert once wrote that many people follow the Lord halfway, but not the other half. By this he means that, too often, we believe in God’s presence, but refuse to let God to lead our lives. God remains the perpetual co-pilot, waiting for our decisions and directions.
When I met a false prophet
A prophet visited the Cathedral recently. His first words to me were, “I am here to give you a message from God.” I politely listened to his message, but when I asked some clarifying questions, his pleasant nature changed. He told me gruffly that he was not sent to listen or discuss. He would speak, I would listen and obey, that was the deal.
When all is Silent, we truly hear.
Too often this is how we can treat silence. We assume the silence contains no voice or activity. We believe that silence speaks to the failure of our spiritual activity, and that God is not present. But what might happen if we rested in the silence, rather than avoided it?
Holding My Book in My Hands
Why do we allow our inner voices to be so critical of our abilities or efforts? Instead of resting deep in the delight of God, we pay attention to our own cranky curmudgeons which highlight every flaw, mistake, and shadow of imperfection. Henri Nouwen was right when he said that the greatest danger to our spiritual lives is our own self-rejection.
Moving from Loneliness to Solitude
Loneliness distorts our inwards selves. It matters not whether we are in on the company of others or not, loneliness creates an emptiness within us. We are restless within ourselves, never at peace, never at home. Yet instead of drawing us closer to another, loneliness distorts our experience of community. It inevitably drives us away from others.
Who is your “Joshua”?
Who is the Joshua in your life? Who is the person that you can support in their faith development, or their experience of ministry? Who can you invite to join you as you journey in faith? This may seem like a tall task, but in truth, it doesn’t have to be.
Reverend Kyle Norman 