A cook-out party at Lake Monroe, a graduation party at Baizil's friend's house, a game night at Minjung's...the list of events and activities we had in May goes on; I even had a farewell cake already while I'm not leaving Bloomington yet:) The end of Spring this year is a time of ending and starting a stage of life for me. It is truly so in more than one way. My three-year stay in Bloomington turned out to be a departure totally different from that I wanted to make. My journey to know and follow God has started when I put down my guard and said, "Yes, my Lord." I feel going back to Texas is part of this journey, not just returning to pick up what I left behind in the past.
These days, I've been wondering what makes us believers "extraordinary," different from other "ordinary" people. Non-christians can be nicer, more charitable, more honest, more successful and so on. Will I recognize members of my church as Christians when I see them in their work places? If my friends in Texas see me again, will they recognize the light guiding my steps now?
Looking over my notes from my readings last year, I found this: Detachment as "being free from wanting certain things to happen, and remaining so trusting of God that what is happening will be the thing you want and you will be at peace with all." Kathleen Norris elaborates her quote of Dorotheus of Gaza further: "neither passive nor remote but paradoxically fully engaged with the world...It is not resignation, but a vigilance that allows a person to recognize that whatever comes is a gift from God."
Not too attached to this world, nor too aloof from it. Being mature in faith is, I think, becoming more humble in our worldly power, human knowledge, and materials means. My journey in God is, then, a life-long process of learning a holy vigilance: recognizing and accepting whatever comes to me with thanks, or discerning God's wills in everything that takes place in our lives.
I pray and hope that my thankful and joyful heart will show itself.
These days, I've been wondering what makes us believers "extraordinary," different from other "ordinary" people. Non-christians can be nicer, more charitable, more honest, more successful and so on. Will I recognize members of my church as Christians when I see them in their work places? If my friends in Texas see me again, will they recognize the light guiding my steps now?
Looking over my notes from my readings last year, I found this: Detachment as "being free from wanting certain things to happen, and remaining so trusting of God that what is happening will be the thing you want and you will be at peace with all." Kathleen Norris elaborates her quote of Dorotheus of Gaza further: "neither passive nor remote but paradoxically fully engaged with the world...It is not resignation, but a vigilance that allows a person to recognize that whatever comes is a gift from God."
Not too attached to this world, nor too aloof from it. Being mature in faith is, I think, becoming more humble in our worldly power, human knowledge, and materials means. My journey in God is, then, a life-long process of learning a holy vigilance: recognizing and accepting whatever comes to me with thanks, or discerning God's wills in everything that takes place in our lives.
I pray and hope that my thankful and joyful heart will show itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment