We live in uncertain times. God is our refuge and safety (we remind ourselves), and if we dwell in Him and in His will we are in the safest place of all.
Yet our feelings may be questioning us on this matter. Fear can easily disarm us. We might find ourselves dealing with worry, depression, anxiety, confusion, distress. In the presence of unsettling circumstances, it can be tough to find what we've referred to as 'the view through the grille.'
"I am sometimes afraid to look at the world outside and even at the circumstances in my own life.... there is so much darkness to be found. But if I were to stand in a physical cloister filled with light, would I be afraid to look 'through the grille' for fear that darkness would flood through the grille and turn my light into dark? No, for when darkness and light encounter one another, light is always the winner! Darkness never floods into the light. Instead, light flows into darkness and changes at least a portion of it into light." (NS, 1996)
For personal reflection:
- What situations are uppermost in my mind just now?
- Is anything worrying or troubling me?
- Are there particular scriptures "through which I can view and respond to" these situations?
(for an explanation of what we mean by "the grille," click this line)
(I personally find a concordance useful in looking up scriptures on various topics. Concordances are available for Catholic (in "exhaustive" and "concise" editions) and Protestant Bibles.
Reconciled To You and Theology Is A Verb
Just what I needed to read today, Nancy. Thank you. A lot of things are definitely "unsettling" me lately and your post is a great reminder that God is in control.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mary. I pray for His peace!
DeleteNancy, thank you for shining your light! The Cloistered Heart has become a daily read
ReplyDeleteDawn
Dawn, thank you! It means a lot to me to know you're here.
DeleteThe issue uppermost in my mind this week has been discerning my vocation to consecrated virginity. I spoke to my new spiritual director on Monday and for some reason I felt extremely unsettled and experienced desolation since then (completely not the spiritual director's fault). I worry that I'm choosing consecrated virginity for the wrong reasons since I don't feel any strong attraction to marriage... so now I'm trying to "psycho-analyze" myself and somehow I feel that I'm in the wrong. I read an article called "Your Vocation is Not about You" and a couple scriptural passages used in it were How should I lose my life in order to save it, based on Luke 9:24 and "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" as said by St. Paul. I'm seeing my spiritual director with a priest on Monday so hopefully his expertise can help me navigate my confused psyche! Anyways, thanks for listening, as always :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle, discernment can be quite a "foggy" process at times, can't it? I am adding your meeting with your spiritual director and the priest to my prayers.
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