In a recent multi-person-conversation the following words were shared: spiritual exercises are about Positioning to Receive from God not Performing to Achieve for God. This paradigm may sound like stating the obvious but it does seem like the latter can sneak into our root systems of spiritual disciplines or practices.
So, one might ask what are some "positioning" exercises that help to posture one to receive from God. The same person who facilitated the aforementioned multi-person conversation shared the following words (ala John Wesley) with me when I asked this question (thank you, Charles Nienkirchen).
“O begin! Fix some part of every day for private exercises...Whether you like it or no, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way: else you will be a trifler all your days.”
So, I share this as one who does not want to be a trifler (especially having looked up what it means and seeing no connection to yummy dessert) and who wants prayer and scripture to shape daily life...or life daily...and I hope that you too will find life-shaping wisdom and life-nourishing sustenance in a daily rhythm of prayer and reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment