“From the day we heard about you, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9).
We often find stability in doing, which is a good in and of itself, but also can be a trap if we identity ourselves by the doing instead of God. God loves us as we are before we do anything. We may mistakenly believe that we have to pray this or that prayer, in this or that way, at this or that certain time for God to not only hear our prayer, but love us, which is what we all desire deep down.
Making time to be still and silent with God, opening our hearts and minds to him to receive that which he wishes to share with us, ultimately his love, is a gift that we need to receive daily. Doing so will not only give life to our other practices of prayer but also helps us to slow down and step out of the mindset of always being on the go and doing. Making a conscious decision to stop, breathe deeply and slowly, to then be still, just be, and be loved as we are – feels very good and affirming.
God wants us to experience his peace and his love. He wants us to live in his joy! It is an amazing gift of grace to experience, and we can do so if we invite him into our mental maelstroms each day and allow him to calm the swirling storms of anxiety, stress, and thoughts that threaten to undo us.
This place of resting and abiding in God’s love deepens our other practices of prayer as well whether it be the Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, taking a walk, reading the Bible, going to Mass, praying for and with others. Prayer is also no longer just about ourselves, as we abide in and are transformed by God’s love, we carry those we love and care about with us!
Not only that, but our life, our work, leisure, relationships, can all become a prayer. As we feel peaceful or joyful, we thank God; when a moment of anxiousness or concern pops up, we ask God to help us to determine its source and deal with it based on his guidance or heal from it if the source is a past wound; we can look to a sacramental, a picture of Jesus – I Trust in You!; picture of Mary; statue of a saint, pray for those we hold close to our heart when they come to mind and share our love and the love of God with them in that moment; asking God to be with us in our interactions with our family, friends, colleagues, or classmates; these all become moments of love received and shared when we choose to breath in, receive, rest, and abide in God’s love in all we do.
The gift of a daily time of silence, is the anchor that then helps us to see God in all we do, to experience him in the moment because that is where he is, and to return to him in the present when we have realized that any temptations, distractions, diversions, fears, conflicts, or lies of the enemy have pulled us away, so that we can simply return and begin again with God. Over time our discernment sharpens, we choose to abide in his peace and love more often and are pulled away less!
My prayers are with you as you read these words, “and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” for all your intentions. Also, that you continue to open your heart and mind to the love of Jesus that he offers you, that you may receive, rest, and abide in his love as you take some conscious breaths to receive his gift during what you are doing, throughout the day today, and remember who and whose you are!
“For the more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say, but what God says to us.” – St. Mother Teresa.
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Photo: Holy hour at the Shrine of St. Maximillian Kolby, Libertyville, Illinois.
Spiritual Stepping Stones 