Rummaging For God…
Let Your Life Speak
I saw a post somewhere the other day, perhaps on Facebook or some social media outlet. It said something along the lines of wanting to be used by God to let his kingdom shine through. Though I know the heart behind the intentions, I felt some cringiness inwardly and moved one with whatever I was doing. Later, I thought of that post (I can’t remember the particular post, only the gist) and began to think about why it made me feel uncomfortable. I used to pray similar things and understand the longing behind it.
Our prayers and desires change over time. I think of myself as a participant in a grand story, perhaps even a collaborator in the storytelling. There is a partnership, a longing for and striving toward a world where all belong and have a part in the storytelling, the thriving and flourishing of our world. If God “uses” us, like I use a wrench or a paintbrush, we are disposable, expendable and not in a relationship where we are giving and receiving love. We are objectified.
There are three ways to perceive and operate in the world in relation to how we see God’s involvement in it. We become complacent and approach our lives with a sort of passive stance and allow the chips to fall where they may, so to speak. We are not proactive or responsible for our choices, or lack thereof. We “trust God” to handle things and when we don’t like how he’s managed things, we resent our lives and the people in it. Or - and there’s a term for this - we become white-knuckle gripping control junkies who pick ourselves up by the bootstraps and forge ahead with our grandiose plans. This is called Pelagianism. Then, there is a third way which is a collaborative cooperation to what is good and loving. It is a “true theology of grace and freedom that sees life as response to God’s love.” (Dennis Hamm)
If you’ve seen the movie, INTERSTELLAR, you know what this looks like. A daughter, once angry and estranged from her father, softens toward him and literally listens to his voice from across the universe and dimensions of time and space to respond to his love. She becomes aware of herself as loved and loving. The natural outflow of this connection is that their world is saved. The father didn’t “use” the daughter for his gain; they were in a loving relationship, which, naturally produces love and goodness. God is not utilitarian. He is Love. And we get the opportunity to soften to and extend toward that Love.
This awareness is one of many moments where I went “rummaging for God” and in so doing, found my life speaking back to me….. volumes. I am including this pdf article written by Dennis Hamm on praying the Examen (a particular way of praying). It’s a review of the last 24 hours of your life, a gathering of your day as you notice the things that it speaks to you. It concludes with a look forward to the next 24 hours and being aware of what you are feeling as you look ahead. This has been such an important practice for me this year. And I want to share it with you. Please click on the image above and read the article by Dennis Hamm and follow along as you wish or want. As always, stay where the fruit is… if it doesn’t speak to you, let it go for now. Next week, I will present a meditation video as we pray through this prayer together. Fill out the form below if you want the free guided meditation to go along with this prayer. And as always, go gently….