Good morning…
Even with our best intentions, glitches fall through our cracks. We cannot catch every ball, juggle every commitment, do every little thing perfectly, each and every day. Being flawed sucks. Accepting flaws sparks growth.
After sending out yesterday’s post How Do We Forgive? I received several kind emails identifying an error. I went back to the message I had scheduled the night before, and I thought I had fixed the technical issue before resending the blog a second time. Then I went downstairs to invite into the basement our Last Wednesday Spiritual Growth Group. After saying a prayer, re-introducing ourselves, and opening our hearts with our journals, seven of us settled into the candlelit space. Along with other select words of wisdom, we listened as I read aloud this quote from a favorite book.
“This journey is a process,” illuminates Betty Skinner. “To empty ourselves of all we think we know and move from our head into our hearts, where our spiritual life can bloom, requires very intense, intentional, prayerful longing. Only as we are able to move to this new and deeper experiential knowledge of Christ within do we begin to know the sense of mystery and wonder that transcends the intellect. Our finite minds cannot comprehend the infinite God. In the letting go of our own opinions, we gradually begin to see God as Jesus sees Him, rather than as we have created Him. This is mystery, this is transcendence, this is wonder, this is beauty. The Spirit of Love is moving us in Christ toward the Father… As we move with Him, we are moving toward oneness with God in and through everything. Eventually we begin to understand that nothing is separated. God created everything and He loves it all. If we can see all people and all things in that light, we can begin to love unconditionally and bring healing and reconciliation to the world. This is the work of emptying. Love is being birthed in us.” (Crenshaw and Snapp’s The Hidden Life, 170-171).
Then from off the shelves of miniature symbols, we each chose items representing what we feel ourselves emptying to make room for God’s loving growth. We journaled in silence before sharing thoughts about our chosen symbols. For a full hour, we collectively conspired, “breathing together” with God and one another. We said a closing prayer and exchanged hugs before heading off into another month.
When I came back up the stairs, I was greeted by several more email messages. The second link to How Do We Forgive? had not worked correctly either. So I reworked, reconfigured, and resent. The third time brought God’s charm.
We expect easy, smooth, flawless. Sometimes God grows more. Emptying us of our control, our judgments, our frustration, God expands sweet surrender deep within our souls. Moving in unison with Christ, toward our Father, guided by the Spirit, we begin to gestate God’s unconditional love for our flawed selves and for our broken world. God’s infinite love is the only power equipped to heal everything.
God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love (Ephesians 4:15-16, MSG).
…Sue…
