Our Major Effort

"To cling always to God and to the things of God - this must be our major effort, this must be the road that the heart follows unswervingly." - John Cassian (c. 365-435)

This quote is a permanent fixture on my desk. I cut it out of a little devotional book because it spoke to me. I look at it and find myself wondering if I am really doing as it says. Do I cling to God or to my own idea of how things should be? Do I find myself following after God unswervingly or relentlessly after my own will? What does it even mean to cling to God unswervingly? Is all of this my major effort or am I spending the better part of my time on lesser things?

The answers to those questions are not always as positive as I would like them to be. I find myself taking detours and shortcuts more than I would like to admit. I often cling to my ideas of what it all ought to look like and fail to see what God is trying to say all around me. I expend a lot of energy on things that are not of God like worry and fear. My heart is easily swerved off the path of faith and trust.

Despite all of this, though, I believe that I am doing what this quote says to the best of my ability. I believe that awareness of where we falter is evidence of where our heart truly is on any given day. I join the late monk Thomas Merton (1915-1968) in my belief that the desire to please God does, in fact, please him (see the full prayer here).

Do you find yourself struggling to hold fast to God and follow Him unswervingly? If so, you are in good company. You are not alone. If we are honest, we all struggle to stay the course. But God is faithful and does not leave us to walk the path alone.

Need some reminders? Print out the prayer linked above and place it somewhere you'll see it often. Memorize Hebrews 10:23. While you're at it, read the rest of that passage (Hebrews 10:19-25) and surround yourself with friends in the faith who will provide the encouragement and support you need to keep going. Engage in the spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, worship, service, celebration...just to name a few!) on a regular basis. And remember that to cling or hold unswervingly requires the effort of at least two...you and God. You and I cannot do that on our own...

Living Close to God

If you're looking for a new daily devotional book, let me encourage you to pick up Reflections for Ragamuffins by Brennan Manning. It is one that I return to year-after-year. I love the way this man talks about grace and God's unspeakable love for us. I believe it is because he has experienced it so deeply in his life. I think you'd enjoy his reflections. They are filled with Truth and will both encourage and challenge you on the journey. You can find it at Barnes and Noble and countless other places (in stores or online).

Anything you can find by Brennan Manning will bless you and convict you. I have read A Ragamuffin Gospel more than once and find it to be one of those books I return to in dry seasons. I am currently reading A Glimpse of Jesus: The Stranger to Self-Hatred slowly. It is blessing me and bringing me to my knees, as everything else I've read by this man has done. This particular book is especially good if you struggle with inadequacy and self-doubt.

If your budget is tight right now, put this on your Christmas list and start your year with one of these books. Any of his books will re-order the way you think about God, yourself, and your call as a Christian. He just has a way with words!

Here are a couple of quotes from his books:

"God is tender and loves us as just as we are, not in spite of our sins and faults, but with them. God does not condone or sanction evil, but he does not withhold his love because there is evil in us. The key to this understanding is the way we feel about ourselves. We cannot stand or accept love from another human being when we do not love ourselves, much less believe or accept that God could possibly love us." - A Glimpse of Jesus

"In essence, there is only one thing God asks of us--that we be men and women of prayer, people who live close to God, people for whom God is everything and for whom God is enough." - A Ragamuffin Gospel

I have been convicted lately that more than anything God just wants us to let Him love us. Receiving that love will lead us to trust Him. Allowing ourselves to trust Him will lead us to worship Him. Worshipping will lead us to serve Him. And serving Him will cause us to lean on Him and rely on His love all over again. In the best of all possible worlds that cycle will repeat itself until it all bleeds together and we experience the love, trust, worship, service, and reliance all at once...everyday.

The books I've suggested will help you along the way, but they are no substitute for The Book. They will only serve to point you to The Book. Start with the Psalms. There you will find 150 of the most honest prayers of praise and frustration, joy and pain. From there, move to one of the letters in the NT (Ephesians is always a good one...).

That is all for now...

Continual Conversation with the Creator

It seems that the last post really resonated with many of you. Given the comments (online and in-person) that I received, it is clear that this is something weighing on your heart as a student. How do we live an integrated, undivided life during our college years and beyond? How is that possible, given the number of things demanding our attention on any given day? What does it even look like to live undivided? We desire it, but we're not sure where to start.

It has been a decade since my own graduation from college and I can tell you that I still don't have all the answers to the above questions. I probably never will. What I do have are some ideas that I've gathered from the saints (ancient to modern) that have worked for me. I'll share a few of those (and some resources) in the next few posts.

One of the most fantastic books on seeking an undivided heart and life is The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. This little book (barely 100 pages) gives beautiful insight and wisdom into what it means to live constantly in the presence of God. It is nothing but a series of letters never meant to be published. It has proven indispensable to Christians for years. The practical insights in this book have helped me to realize that I can give God every moment of my day. [Note: It is a priceless book, but you can find it for as little as $2.50 online!]

"He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time...the least little remembrance will always be most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us that we think." - Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

Throughout the book, he encourages those he is writing simply to do everything to the glory of God. For a student that might include studying, driving, walking to class, talking to friends, etc. Thinking of our daily activities this way helps us to take "every thought captive to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). This book radically re-ordered my thoughts on "quiet time" and what devotion to God is really about. Lawrence encourages daily devotions and what we would call "quiet time," and so much more. More than this, though, he is concerned that Christians be in "continual conversation" with God and do everything "for the love of God."

Is it possible to live in "continual conversation" with God in a world that is so filled with noise and distractions? I believe the answer is unequivocally, "Yes!" The how is a different story. There are times in my life when I am better at this than others. It is a constant battle, but one that I am willing to fight so that I might live undivided...and truly free.

The Undivided Heart

"Lord, teach me how you want me to live. Then I will follow your truth. Give me a heart that doesn't want anything more than to worship you." - Psalm 86:11 (NIRV)

It is easy to get into the habit of compartmentalizing your life during your college years. I know...I did just that as a student. I started each week with a "Master Plan." It was beautiful. Daily tasks for school were listed under each day. There were separate boxes for friends and social activities to plan and yet another for my walk with God. I thought that in order to get everything done, I needed to put things into categories: school, work, friends, God, etc. The hope was that by creating this list, I'd give enough to each area to feel as if I was living something resembling a balanced life. But no matter the master plans and the best of intentions, it rarely happened. Oh, I might very well mark everything off my list, but there was an emptiness and a frustration to such a way of life.

Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with getting yourself organized. I still delight in marking things off my "To Do" lists each day/week. I sometimes write things down just so I can mark them off! It makes me feel like I've accomplished a little something for the day. It is nice to be able to look at the day and see where the hours went. I'd encourage you to make some lists of your own and see if you don't have a more productive day/week yourself!

However, I have learned that there are risks involved in this kind of life. If I become too bound by my lists, my relationship with God and with others tends to suffer. Quiet times become just another thing to mark off the list as done. Prayer becomes demanding. Time with friends and with God is reduced to something resembling scheduling an appointment. Looking at it that way (however subconsciously) makes it easy to postpone.

So, what is the solution? Get rid of the sacred "Master Plan" or "To Do" list? Not necessarily...

The solution is to stop compartmentalizing. Integrate your life. Have an undivided heart. Live with your eyes turned to God no matter what you are doing. Studying. Sitting. Praying. Walking. Talking. Relaxing. Everything.

We really should do what the Psalmist said and live our lives in worship and praise to Him. Our relationships, our studies, our rising and our laying down should reflect our love for God. For that to happen, our lives must be integrated, undivided. If you want a kick start to integrating your life, begin in the Psalms. Start with Psalm 86, even. Make the whole thing or even a part of it your prayer for the week.

Living the Uncommon Life

College-life is grand. All around you are opportunities to explore new things. That is how it should be. This is a season of self-discovery and newfound freedom. It is both simple and complicated, full of the exciting and the unexpected. It is (for once!) what our culture says it is...the time of your life. It is the time where you make decisions about life, career, and calling that affect the rest of your life. It is a time of unparalleled freedom and unbelievable pressure. It is a grand experiment and the choices you make and habits you form during these years will be hard to break.

So...live the uncommon life during these years. Go ahead and explore. Re-invent yourself. Believe in your dreams. Make daring decisions. Have fun. Pave your own way. Do everything you should do as a college student...but include God and lean on each other at every turn.

Living your faith is hard. It is especially hard as a university student. It was for me a decade ago and it is for you now. This blog is here to lighten that load. It is a space to read, reflect, and respond. If there is one thing I know about the life of faith it is that we need each other. It is impossible to live an integrated, faithful life without each other.

This blog is an experiment in community. An ongoing conversation where you can comment, question, and support each other. A regular post will appear each week to start the conversation. Visit often. Participate frequently. Question freely.

Let's get started!