I sometimes peruse the books on my shelves and pull down some personal favorites. I then look through them to see what I underlined. I am an underliner when it comes to reading. When I find something that speaks to me...or corrects me...I underline it. It helps me in some way to retain it. And then when I go back to the book I can pick out what spoke to me.
One of these books is Spotting the Sacred by Bruce Main. Bruce directs an inner city ministry so his words carry some weight as he reflects on the pace of his life and how it affects him spiritually:
"I wonder if you can relate to my dilemma: life has become somewhat of a blur. Not that I am complaining. My life is full - family, friends, a job. But events and happenings seem to occur so rapidly that I have little time to ponder their significance and their meaning for my life. Information comes in torrents, not trickles. It is hard to know what to process, what to digest, and what - if anything - can add spiritual value to my life. I think I am becoming a little numb, especially when bombarded by all the bad news in the media. Am I missing something? If I take the time to scratch beneath the surface of the bad news or to reflect more deeply on the events of my life, will I have an opportunity to discover something more life-giving and spirituall enriching? If I really take the time to notice what is going on around me, will I find opportunities to discover a glimpse of God's presence?"
A little later, Bruce Main adds:
"More often than not in rushing blindly through the appointments, meetings, and encounters with other people, we miss opportunities to see and experience the presence of God in the ordinary aspects of our lives. We become content just skimming through life without ever pausing to consider that the events of our daily lives may have deeper dimensions - a truly spiritual quality."
I can be a skimmer. I know that to be true of myself but it's not something I am proud of. In th process of my skimming I fail to truly notice the wonder around me or even the presence of God around me. We often find ourselves empty and lacking fulfillment. Maybe it's because we skim so much of life. Life has a depth and a richness about it that is hidden away in the ordinary but it doesnt just jump out at us and demand we look at it. It takes noticing and paying attention. With all the spiritual practices I could be doing, taking time to notice and pay attention may be what ultimately saves my soul in the end.
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