The Active Work of Surrender

Yesterday's post can be easily misunderstood. Surrender can be understood as a passive act, one of waiting, one of letting something happen to me. But the type of surrender I speak of is something active, something engaging, something of work. It isn't a passive waiting; it is an active opening and receiving.

How many times have you done something special for someone, and they didn't say thank you because they didn't notice your kind deed? In the spiritual world, it happens countless times. Our work is to notice, to be on that spiritual wavelength to see it, to live on that plane.

Surrender prepares us for that depth. I used to think of surrender as something of "giving up". But it is more. It is accepting the hard things in life because we believe God will bring good from it. It is accepting a prayer not answered, knowing God does hear us, just maybe not give us what we think we need at this time. It is learning to understand someone else's point of view because we realize we don't always have the answer, we are not always right. It means accepting when we would rather be giving; waiting when we would rather be doing; sitting in silence when we would rather be shouting from the rooftops.

Surrender to God, and he will do all thing for you says a scripture verse. And the greatest thing is a new sight to see into the spiritual realm, where we recognize the wonderful things God is doing for us, and we lift up our hands in gratitude and praise.

Being found by Someone

Transformation. It's the goal of any human being who desires more. For those seeking a spiritual life, it means changing from what we are to something better, something deeper, in one word, someone. James Alison calls such transcendence a "falling into" or an "undergoing of God". And Richard Rohr says it happens to us rather than we make it happen.

For anyone who is not familiar with Richard Rohr, I encourage you to read his works or subscribe to his daily reads. He offers rich, deep, spiritual insight that is astonishing. In his latest book, "The Naked Now" he writes When you joyfully surrender to God...you seldom have the feeling you have found anything. It feels much more like Someone found you!

I would dare to say, this is the difference between those whose spirituality consists of rituals and obligations, and those who seek because they realize the one we are seeking is good. In one, we justify ourselves by works. In the other, we are justified by the one who saves.

Francis Thompson said it years ago in his now famous poem, the Hound of Heaven:

Wherefore should any set thee love apart?
Seeing none but I makes much of naught," He said,
"And human love needs human meriting,
                How hast thou merited--
Of all man's clotted clay the dingiest clot?
                Alack, thou knowest not
How little worthy of any love thou art!
Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee
                Save Me, save only Me?
All which I took from thee I did but take,
                Not for thy harms.
But just that thou might'st seek it in my arms.

When Light Blinds

Psalm 91:9 says You have the Lord for your refuge; you have made the Most High your stronghold.

There are times in our lives when the hand of the Most High is obvious, when we feel protected, blessed, cared for, nurtured. During these times we sense we are being carried by the spirit through fire and water, and no danger can touch our souls.

But there are also times when all this fades, when the hand of the Most High seems heavy, and we flounder through life questioning and requesting, but receiving no answer.

It is good to remember that when we feel blessed, that is God's time. When we feel lost, that is our time. The time to walk in the dark, knowing we are no less blessed because the sun isn't shining upon us. The time to believe in goodness even though we no longer have the tangible proof of it. The time to choose not because we love the return we've received, but simple because it is the right thing to do.

In times past, such journeys were called "dark nights" simply because we no longer enjoyed the light of a vibrant realization of God. But these times can sometimes bring greater clarity than the light, for it makes us choose not from emotion, but from conviction. When life is dark, and the way not clear, then we often show our strength and courage. Should that darkness last a time, we will find that we can live in darkness, because our convictions become strong enough to take the place of light. And then we  ourselves become the light, for others seeking, for those lost, for unbelievers who need to see in order to have faith.

Remember, there are others reasons for darkness than absence of light. It could be your light has become so bright that it blinds you.

Be Good for Something

I heard a great quote I'd like to share today: Be not simply good; be good for something. (Henry David Thoreau).

In our attempts to be good, we sometimes make goodness into a goal. And it shouldn't be. Goodness is only a fruit of something else, of effort, earnest living, honesty, sincerity, silence, reflection, and compassion.That is how, when you are good for something you have born fruit.

A Relationship of Change

"It's nice to see how your family has changed," I recently told someone. "The boys are so grown up and respectful, your husband is now taking on new responsibilities, and you are more at peace. It's nice to see how your family is growing and changing. I think that is a sign of a healthy relationship."

We tend to look for people who are where we are or who accept us as we are. And many times we hope to stay that way. But if we are sincere about our progress, our journey, our mission in life, than we should expect something different. We should expect challenge. And most challenges change us.

Funny how we accept that in nature, growth is a sign of health and life. No one complains when the seed they planted becomes a flower. Or when the seeded lawn becomes grass. It only does that through sun, rain and nutrition.

It's the same for our spiritual life. We need growth, and our sun, rain and nutrition is healthy relationships. A friend or companion who is healthy for me will be the one whose honesty and trust enable me to accept challenges. I will have the courage to forge forward, and not allow fear to paralyze me. I will accept constructive criticism because I too will trust and express honest opinions. Such a relationship cannot but help to nurture the strongest roots.

If you look at your life and fail to see it changing, then it might be time to re-evaluate your relationships.

Keeping in touch.

Keeping in touch. That's what good friends say to one another when their paths separate. Though we will no longer be able to spend much time together, let's keep in touch.

We need that same philosophy with the Almighty. Let's keep in touch. Let's find time to communicate, to appreciate, to celebrate.

It starts with the little times set aside to meditate. If one perseveres, it moves into a more continual dialogue. And then it becomes an underlying remembrance.

Let's keep in touch. Let's make it happen. Let's begin today.

Befriending God

What makes a friend? Not just someone to hang out with, but someone to confide in. No one confides in someone who cannot keep confidences. Nor do you like anyone who will always think they have answers. The best aspect of a real friend is the ability to emphasize, and listen.

If we want that spiritual relationship with the "Other" we need to develop the same traits. We need to spend time listening and learn to emphasize.

Strange, huh? We should do to God what we want friends to do for us. But it does work.