This is a guest post by Linda Ricke.
I’ve often said that my whole life has been one big self-improvement project. I’m on a mission to find my purpose and to fulfill it in whatever time I’m given here on earth. But am I striving so hard for change that I’ve missed the point that God created me the way I am for a purpose?
God so often chooses to work his best lessons through the small or the seemingly weak of society. John the Baptist was a bit off-putting with his outlandish garb and his crazy diet. St. Thérèse of Lisieux was a small, sickly young woman prone to sentimentality and over-emotionalism. Gandhi was a thin, frail, passive man who preached non-violence. Jesus Christ was born in a stable for animals. He was tortured and beaten and killed. Yet all these people moved billions of others toward a better life here and hereafter.
They didn’t try to change themselves into more powerful, perfect specimens of model human beings. God worked miracles through their weaknesses and imperfections. God didn’t ask them to be better. God asked them to surrender themselves to him, so he could make them perfect just the way they were.
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
What perspective. It humbles and terrifies me. I always like to think I can “make myself better,” but really it is God doing all the work, if I but cooperate, the way I am.
Eeep! That scares me.
You’re not the only one. It’s hard to give up that illusion of control. And what if what God wants me to be is not who I have in mind?
I think that what becomes evident to me when I take the time to ponder how God works through the outcasts, the poor and the weak is our need to accept what they already know. God does not reward success, but faith. The success is not ours. Success belongs to God. It can be quite a challenge to resist the urge to “chalk up brownie points with ‘Dad ‘ “. But depending on our own works is discouraged throughout scripture from Cain and Abel to the Prodigal Son parable and all throughout, we’re warned to not depend on our own works, but on God working through us.. “Love God. Love your neighbor ” . The greater the need, the more magnificent the display of His Handiwork.
Well said Emma…
I agree. Very well said. How often do I try to earn the “brownie points.” I remember my mother telling us when we didn’t feel like going to church as kids that we were”earning points” just for going…It’s hard to unlearn some of the lessons from childhood.
Well….
We kind of are “earning points,” at least that is how I describe it to my 7th grade religious ed class. Every time we go to Mass, receive the Sacraments, pray, read the Bible, stand up for someone, donate graciously, etc, we are receiving Grace. And since Grace is our ticket to heaven, it is kind of like getting our ticket punched.
Grace is a hard concept for 7th graders to get.
We don’t earn grace. Grace is a gift from God and we’re called to accept or reject that gift. Our lives are a reflection of that gift. Made in the image of Christ, infused with grace at baptism we are called to live in the image of God. I know too many who believe that going to church and following “the law ” saves them and that’s not how I interpret this at all. We can do good works until we die, but the Father accepted the prodigal son who squandered his inheritance and rejoiced at his return even tho ‘ he did nothing to earn that love. We shouldn’t forget the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I make frequent use of it because I am such a screw up! By Grace we are saved. But, I don’t think I would have fully gotten that at 12 yrs. old either.
I have heard it said that we should not be TOO concerned with our motives for doing what is right. Even if our motives are ultimately selfish (“earning points”), the good deed will purify the motives.
I don’t know if I completely agree, but it’s a good starting point. Go through the motions of doing what you should, pay attention as you go, and I think you’ll begin to hear God speaking through your actions and their consequences. You’ll begin to understand the real point in going to Mass, praying, working at the food shelf, etc.
I have an image of God smiling at our discussion right now. We’re all trying to figure out how to earn a gift He offers us freely. We just choose whether or not to accept it.
I agree with you, Emma. And boy do I need reconciliation. I saw the name of a song nominated for a Grammy award “God forgives, I don’t” I don’t remember the artist. It made me sick.
Jim, I love your point. All the things we try to do, if done for the right reason, may lead us towards God where we can be open to His grace.
I think that when we move our ‘ego’ aside, God does wonderful things with us.
3 1/2 years ago we completely changed our religious ed. program. It was a huge risk, many families walked away, and we were scared to death. The new program has been fruitful beyond our imagination. We are all humbled and blessed and most certainly see the work of the Holy Spirit. It continues to amaze…God is good and is at work in and through the most unexpected.
I’d like to hear about the changes you made. We are starting an adult religious ed program at our church and could learn much from your experience. Congratulations on having the guts to proceed in spite of opposition.
Hi Linda, I would love to share what we did in our rel. ed. program with you. If you’re interested, email me at andreaw@parishmail.com
Well, there are times when I think that I wasting my life and then I think maybe this is exactly what God wanted for me. It’s certainly tough enough and maybe it is through this that He is teaching me. Well, I know He is teaching me, I just don’t know what. All will be well no doubt, it is just a bit of a trial to have the faith necessary to accept it.
Oh, I can relate to this. I, too, feel that I am wasting my life, or at least way too much of the time I’m allotted in my lifetime. Do you ever just want Him to hand you a note with exactly what He wants written on it? Doubt is a very powerful force. I, too often doubt that I’m hearing Him correctly.
Many years ago I heard a speaker say that God isn’t interested in our ability but in our availability. I try to keep that in mind when I’m asked to do something for which I feel totally unqualified. When we rely on the Holy Spirit to work through us, amazing things happen. I’m slowly learning to rely on God but it is so slow.
I love that. I’ve never heard it put that way. Thanks for sharing.
I really like that saying.
The one our DRE uses is: God doesn’t call the qualified – He qualifies the called.
Welcome to the PFO community, Traci! Thank you for joining in the conversation today.
Wow! Traci! I think that is just what I’ve needed to hear! He qualifies us! He clears the path before us of obstacles and opens doors. I’ve been struggling with a career decision for months. I’ve studied for 5yrs. with a set goal in mind, then, when the opportunity arose to continue, began to imagine all the obstacles before me should I actually accept. It’s as clear as the nose on my face yet I place boulders on the way and padlock the doors with “what if this? what if that, ” self inflicted wounds. Gee, I’m thick -headed and stubborn! Welcome and thank you for sharing those simple words
I should start taking my own advice and stop muddying the waters when He’s made it so very clear.
Emma,
I was just reading about this in James Martin’s “A Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything.” Ignatius talked about it, too. If you are contemplating making a decision that is in accordance with God’s will, the “enemy of man” will often fill you with fear and self-doubt. I’ve also heard it called “imposter syndrome.” You doubt your own qualifications to have the opportunity you’ve been given, so you feel like you must have somehow deceived the people offering you the opportunity.
On the other hand, if you are contemplating doing something in violation of God’s will, the jarring emotion you feel will probably be guilt or emptiness rather than fear.
At least that’s how I understood it.
I’ll have to remember that. “God doesn’t call the qualified – He qualifies the called.” Thanks, Traci!
I’ll have to remember that one. Y’all have given me a few quotations for my quotations book today. Thanks.
I love that, too.
It’s true not just for when we feel unqualified. but when we feel disinterested or tired or bored. I struggle with it everyday — reminding myself that I am called to be available regardless of how I’m feeling about it.
Such good stuff!!
Ignatius teaches us that are all here to praise, revere and to serve the Lord. In my limited understanding of creation, God put all this together so we may actually be with God. So God gives us an offer, an invitation to God’s everlasting banquet.
Jesus came here to literally show us the way to salvation, bringing our humanity to God’s divinity. Jesus taught us how to praise, revere and to serve the Lord. We do so by using our gifts, all our talents that are God-given to proceed on the path that will take us to the banquet.
Along the way, we make mistakes, lose focus, give up, lose direction and get lost. The Spirit inspires and encourages us to carry on, go forward, to get back on track. The Spirit will work miracles through our weaknesses and imperfections so that we may be ourselves.
As we are all made in God’s likeness and image, God wants us to be us. As we accept God’s invitation, we move closer to God’s divinity by being Christ-like. Yes, God does not ask us to be better. As Linda stated, all God asks that we accept God’s invitation by surrendering ourselves to God. God does love us just the way we are.
That banquet has always made me nervous. Will I be as hesitant to partake of the gifts he offers at the feast as I am eating something at a buffet when I don’t know exactly what is in it? I want to be so sure before I act…
But, as you reminded us, along the way we make mistakes.
Thank you for your insights.
What great timing..
Thank you. I wrote this a couple of weeks ago. The timing was courtesy of Denise & Paul.
Glad it resonated.
“For me to be a saint means to be myself. . . Therefore the problem of sanctity and salvation is in fact the problem of finding out who I am and discovering my true self. ” — Thomas Merton.
Thank you for a lovely reflection, Linda, that encouraged so many beautiful responses today.
Denise J
Thank you. You never know what will resonate. I enjoyed the lively discussion today. As always, I appreciate the chance to share my thoughts with such a dedicated and insightful community. I count you all among my many blessings.
Brilliant. What life is all about in few sentences. How wonderful life would be if some of our leaders ( and preachers ) were to take that on board.
Thanks for joining in the discussion. What a compliment! (I’m blushing)
One of my favorite things to do at Adoration is just tell Jesus “my presence is my yes” and know that it is true at a level that goes WAY deeper than all the doubts and the “I shoulds” that swirl in my mind.
Interestingly, the louder the “I ought tos” and “I’m nots”, the more peace it gives me to understand that I am more than my thoughts – I work in an academic community where rational thought is king, so I need frequent reminders!
Another quote for my book! I am hounded by the ought tos, the should’ves and the if onlies on a regular basis. I think we all need the frequent reminders to just show up and be open.
Linda,this so resonates. Thank you. Like you, I know this…this is something I cognitively know…but my inner-most being must not fully accept it because I am always on a quest to improve. Even when I am content with the rest of the world, I am not with myself. Go figure. Oh well, reading this makes me feel like I am in very good company!
So true You are not alone Annette.
Good company, indeed.
Thank you, Linda, a beautiful post. Precious even.
Thanks you all so much for your generous comments. I can’t begin to express how much I get from them. You all see so much more than I could ever imagine in my writings. It is such an amazing experience for a writer to get to discuss his/her words like this. I’ll “talk” to you all soon!