a drop of water

Post inspired by Joe in his recent post over at globalyawning.

I think the distinction between seeking wisdom and seeking God must be made. I believe that in seeking God, we often seek wisdom, however it is very possible that in our quest for wisdom, we settle for the version that lacks God.  We fear God’s wisdom because of how it speaks into our choices and motivations in life and so we often settle for the version that is missing God.

Here is a quick illustration of what I mean…

I am looking into my life’s mirror. I’m wearing a new suit and a clean white shirt.  I worked hard for this suit. It symbolizes my will, my success, my reward of this world.  I earned it and now I get to wear it. Failure was not an option, and this version of success was something I could get on my own.

But then I look closer into the mirror.  In the background there are those who are dressed in ripped and dirty clothing, people who I’ve stepped on along the way.  Indirectly and directly, I’ve had a part in their situation. I never noticed them before.  I’d forgotten them.

I look further into the mirror and see Jesus and his followers, those who are Christ-like. Their clothes are worn and old. They are tired, but they are full of peace and love. What speaks even louder is their actions of helping the people around them.

I feel scared because I do not want to give up my suit. I like my suit. I earned it. I don’t want to get dirty. I’m afraid of giving it up to be more like Christ. But I’m reminded of what I am called to do, and so I take off my jacket.  I roll up my sleeves and hand my jacket to someone near me who doesn’t have one.

In small group during the prayer time, we’ve been trying the Ignatius prayers as a framework for discussion.   We go over a point of desolation (where God is seemingly absent) and consolation (where God is noticeably present) and consider how God is moving in us through those times.

I’ve been realizing that points of desolation are primed for points of consolation, if we decide to make them so.  For me personally, my weighty and tangled mess of stress, expectations, responsibilities and deadlines goes from desolation to consolation as I consciously acknowledge Gods presence in that very instant.  The circumstances do not change, but my perspective does in that I know God is with me.

The reality is that despite my feelings of desolation, God is present in my life and consolation is within reach.  I’m discovering that lately God is speaking most clearly in my moments of desolation.  At the very least he is saying, acknowledge me; and acknowledging God in your life is a beautiful and renewing experience.