And Jen Fulwiler's "7 Habits of People Who Place Radical Trust in God" is a perfect companion to my Easter chocolate. ("Mmmm. Munch, munch, Lord. How can I, gulp, trust thee more? Lip smack."
This is one of my favorite blog posts ever. She takes five--or six, counting Mother Teresa--biographies of holy men and women who exude trust in God and distills for us seven sort of trademarks of trust. What does it mean to trust in him.
The first one kicked my pants:
1. They accept suffering. Yessir. Radical trust means being undismayed by the aches and groans of Brother Ass (St. Francis's fond nickname for his body). Their focus is the prize, the crown at the end of the race. Their concern is union with God, not release from pain.
2. They accept the inevitability of death. She mentions The Shadow of His Wings, one of my favorite reads from this past Lent. Why was this priest spared when so many died (a question Pope John Paul II asked himself throughout World War II)? Note: Not so that he could enjoy a long, successful, pain-free life. He survived to serve God more before he was taken home to heaven. Again, eyes on the prize.
3. They have daily appointments with God. After reading this post, I actually remembered to say my Office for the first time in a week. Oh, yes. It is easier to trust someone with whom you are in regular contact!
4. In prayer, they listen more than they talk. Yes.
5. They limit distractions. Jen writes: "Far too accessible to the demands and pressures of the moment. That line has haunted me ever since I read it. I love technology, but it does come with a huge temptation to feel a general increase in urgency in our lives: I have to reply to that email! Respond to that comment on my wall on Facebook! Ret-tweet that tweet! Read that direct message! Listen to that voicemail! Here in the connected age, we are constantly bombarded with demands on our attention. Periods of silence, where we can cultivate inner stillness and wait for the promptings of the Holy Spirit, are increasingly rare." This made me so sad when I read it. Yes, I have been losing those moments of silence. I can blame it on the kids and be frustrated, or I can receive what little quiet time I have as an opportunity to be silent.
6. They submit their discernment to others. If we really believe God speaks to us through others, we might try submitting once in a while. I know that leaning on the advice and wisdom of my husband and friends and parents has always born fruit. It's so easy for me to give advice to others: the solution seems clear to me, being on the outside. It works the other way around to: Sometimes others, especially those who love me, can see my life so much more clearly from the outside than I do from within.
7. They offer the Lord their complete, unhesitating obedience. I think of Peter and Andrew who left their nets at once. Let it be so in me.
This list is going up on my fridge. Thanks, Jen!
2 comments:
I'm SO honored that you liked the post. Thank you! As always, I continue to be tremendously blessed by your blog.
Great post. Thank you!
Post a Comment