Friday, February 20, 2009
WITH ALL SAILS SET
Spiritual half measures avail us nothing. Not a little, not some, zero. We have all at some time in our lives entered into some endeavor half heartedly. If it was a home improvement project what happened? If it did get done at all it was something less than magazine quality and then there are those diets and exercise programs. On the secular plane we can go to work half heartedly and still draw a paycheck. A poorly built deck is still built, a badly painted room still painted. Our spiritual life however requires total commitment, half measures resulting not only in our failure to demonstrate but instills the false belief that we tried and God didn’t deliver, probably because we are unworthy. Nonsense. NONSENSE. God is source, “Our Father.” We are His children and all the gifts and blessings that relationship represents are ours for the asking but we must ask without reservation, consistent in our prayers and meditations. When traveling by sailing ship if no sails are set not only is there no progress but the ship is left to the mercy of contradictory tides and currents. If only a few sails are set there is some progress for a time but invariably a stronger influence comes along and blows us off course. When we travel in this manner is it any wonder we never arrive at the port we desire? To progress All Sails are Set and a firm hand is on the wheel. We do this by turning to Him in all things, being consistent in our prayers and meditations, practicing the Presence of God. In so doing, regardless of the storm clouds that may be gathering around us, we sail on with peace of heart and the knowledge that ultimately we are safe and protected in His hands and will arrive safe, enlightened by the voyage.
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For nearly two years now I have been practicing this diligently. The mistake I made early on was to think that doing this (turning away from the morbid thought) would take me to a place where one day those thoughts would not even enter my mind any more. I was wrong.
ReplyDeleteThe thoughts still come, and like a river, some spots are rapid and some are slack. I prefer the slack water, but it matters not, I can still drown in either so my job is to be on guard no matter what.
I cannot begin to describe the rewards of this practice. I try to tell my spiritual adviser because I know he would understand but I am always left having to know in my heart he does so without my fully explaining it the way I want to with my words.
Right now, the place I have arrived at is that I am never "starting over" from any one place. As the day goes by and each prayer is offered up, and as long as I stay in the moment, I realize we are already smack dab in the middle of eternity.
Peace,
Kevin