The Power of God Behind You
2/16/09 Inspirations You might want to run to God in these unsure times, because He can make it all better in a heartbeat. You might want to promote God’s goodness by being goodness itself – to be as generous with your spiritual lights as God is with His power to give you this gift of goodness to pass on to others.
You might feel overwhelmed by theological logistics, the nooks and crannies where understanding hides, to the point that you feel powerless to try to please God, Who is so unknowable. But your deception doesn’t lie in what you have not been told about your Creator. You are deceived because you assume there’s something you can do to receive God’s gift of holiness, other than be willing to accept this gift.
You don’t have to know theology, or the history of religion, to have a right-relationship with God. You don’t need to be instructed in the doctrine, the ritual, the language of worship of God. All you need is to humbly and obediently give to God what He wants from you and has already given to you to freely offer.
This is the main reason contemplative prayer is so valuable – in silent focus you see all you have and how unimportant what you don’t have is to God. Contemplation is placing yourself before God in willingness to absorb the insight He gives you. This insight is greater than anything you can get by study or practice. It all points to the mystic principle, the only necessary thing, the powerful ability you have to do what you should.
Love God by wanting only what He wants above anything you may wish for yourself. It’s simple, it’s available, it’s painless, and it’s complete — abandon your will to God’s will and you have done all that’s in your power to do to please God. Theological scholars have no greater ability than this. Great philosophers, psychologists, or sociologists cannot know God better than this or do more to please Him. Pastors, priests and popes have no more ability for this than you have.
And having done what you are called to do, you will gain further insight and perception as God uses your holiness in His work. Revisit the basic principle of abandonment in silent prayer and do your living in concert with God, and you will be living your purpose perfectly. Many will never enjoy this contentment; not because they’re unable, but because they have not been moved to do the one thing God asks of them. But often they will find themselves in despair, asking for God’s help without really knowing how wonderfully He can give that help. Often that is the opening they need. With the power of God behind you, you can bring others to this point of asking before the despair becomes necessary. It’s something we do not know unless we examine our hearts – often what is needed is for you to suggest a person go to God in prayer to ask for guidance.
