Last week I shared how I stumbled into the world of contemplative spirituality. A kind of spirituality that slows down and makes space through solitude, silence, and stillness. This kind of spirituality focuses more on being WITH God and less on what we’re doing FOR God.
After years of being in and around full-time vocational ministry, I became consumed with what God wants me to DO. I focused on the tangible, the measurable, the things you can check-off a list, the things you can point to as proof of a job well done. These things gave me value and confidence. It was terrible for my soul.
The practice of silence, solitude, and stillness are the antithesis of a culture that esteems busyness, noise, and constant connectivity. Is it a surprise these practices work wonders for our soul?
A few weeks ago I was driving through our city and noticed a church sign promoting Ash Wednesday. Sitting at a stoplight, I got a closer look at the sign and was shocked to read, “Drive thru Ashes”. You’ve got to be kidding me! Is our time so precious we can’t get out of our car, walk into a building, and interact with fellow believers for a few minutes. Dare we “waste” an hour?
Too often we reduce spirituality down to a formula. We’ve sacrificed our humanity on the altar of efficiency, and then look to God for affirmation, a pat on the back for all the things we’ve accomplished for Him, all the while neglecting Him.
Efficiency makes us feel more productive, like we’re ahead of the pack. While it may be ideal for work environments and getting through our to-do list faster, it doesn’t make for a healthy soul. Maybe you’ve noticed.
For better or worse, God cannot be rushed or coerced. I’m so glad.
Healthy relationships are a two-way street. They involve talking and listening, give and take. They don’t require performance. Those people you can just be with are the ones you feel closest to. If you can’t relax with someone, usually it’s a sign of discomfort.
Are you comfortable being with God? Try it out. Spend ten minutes sitting in silence. Center your mind on an attribute of God (love, peace, light). See what happens. Try it for a week.
Being alone and silent with God can be intimidating, no doubt. And sometimes we’re left feeling like we took more steps backwards than forward (mental drifting is normal and frustrating). I can’t help but think God wired us this way. It requires us to face our own humanity, our frailty, our limitations. That’s not a bad thing.
Any attempt to treat God like a genie in a bottle, expecting Him to perform on-demand, will leave us disappointed. What kind of relationship would that be anyway? Not a personal one. Not a genuine one. Who really wants that?
The more often I sit with God in the silence and in the stillness and all alone, the more aware I am of my need for Him. And I have a feeling that’s where He wants me. Dependent on Him. That’s a good place to be.