Dialing In

"Fellowship with Jesus Christ is not a commitment to suffer as much as possible, but a commitment to listen with him to God's love without fear...  We are often tempted to 'explain' suffering in terms of 'the will of God.' Not only can this evoke anger and frustration, but also it is false.  'God's will' is not a label that can be put on unhappy situations.  God wants to bring joy not pain, peace not war, healing not suffering.  Therefore, instead of declaring anything and everything to be the will of God, we must be willing to ask ourselves where in the midst of our pains and sufferings we can discern the loving presence of God."  - Henri J.M. Nouwen, Show Me The Way - Daily Lenten Readings

I read this passage eleven days ago, and it has been acting like a lens through which I have looked at joy and sorrow - both in my own life and in the experiences of others.   Discerning the loving presence of God in joyful situations is easy.  Attuning to God's presence in the face of pain and tragedy is another matter altogether.  And dialing in to God's presence in the midst of the everyday ho-hum routine - well, that can be extremely difficult.

Yet it can be done.  I remember when I was first listening to the birds - I could not distinguish one bird song from another (except for Crows - they were easy).  The more I listened and became familiar with their unique songs, the easier it was to identify who was singing in the pines behind our home.  But it took time, and patience, and attention.

Surely God deserves more of my time, patience and attention than the winged troubadours in my backyard! 

This Holy Week I plan to spend extra time in this interesting experience of attuning to God's presence.  I have no idea what this will be like - or where it will lead - but if you are up for an adventure, please join me!  Each day, in times of intentional reflection and silence, and as you go about your daily routine, look for evidence of the loving presence of God.  Attune to God's frequency - dial in - and be open to what happens next!

Blessings,
Kim