Living into the Questions

Living into the Question(s)
As Parker Palmer writes in “Let Your Life Speak”: “The soul speaks its truth only under quiet, inviting, and trustworthy conditions.” So often with big questions in life I spend 90% of the discernment time wrestling with the “what ifs” rather than trying to listen to my deepest yearnings and the Holy Spirit then melding the two through listening prayer. One of my ongoing practices is learning to listen – to myself, to others and to God. When coupled with practicing the presence of God in all of life I experience a settled calm and assurance that all is well and all shall be well. For now these disciplines are key to growing into who I am in Christ.

These disciplines are also in a larger context for as I grow to a broader realization of who God is and the expansiveness of his love I am beginning to trust that God is able to take care of himself and doesn’t need me to argue or protect him. I can point out truth, as I understand and experience it, but the results are up to the interaction between other person and God. As I leave the results of my actions and words up to God I am moved to a place of freedom and humility. Freedom because I am only responsible for my part and not the results. Humility because no matter how wonderful or miraculous the results I cannot take credit (although I easily forget and slip into arrogance and pride).

Thus, as I focus on listening and practicing the presence of God, the questions that come up in life become opportunities to listen more intentionally without having a need to fix the answers in concrete.