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...
2 comments:
Merton's prayer reminds me of a saying from George MacDonald, "God is easy to please, but hard to satisfy." Elsewhere, MacDonald adds on this by saying, "What father is not pleased with the first tottering attempt of his little one to walk? What father would be satisfied with anything but the manly step of the full-grown son?"
The desire to please God does please God because it is one of our many tottering steps towards Him. This gives me much comfort, because even though I may stumble and fall everyday, God is still pleased with the attempt. But God will not allow me to stumble always. One day I'll finally be not just a creature, but a Son, eternally enjoying the Abundant and Eternal Life Our Lord died to give us.
But right now, on with the stumbling.
Amen
Post a Comment