Friday, October 17, 2014
The Source
Godspace asks where inspiration comes from:
Christ himself prayed at Gethsemane, "Not my will but thine." I would guess there is no amount of withdrawal that could inspire one to go through the trial and crucifixion. Sometimes, there is only duty.
I think it is an important point in our Christian growth when we learn that we will not always be inspired, that sometimes we do simply becasue we are supposed to. The next important point is when we learn that even when we act out of duty, we must act cheerfully, patiently and energetically - that's the point when we reach maturity.
That's why I think God often withholds inspiration. It's not that He is absent, it's that He is teaching us that we are so deeply His that He cannot be absent.
duty good cheer inspiration presence
As I sat here looking at the mountain outside my window (not as clear today as in this photo), the question that revolved in my mind as I meditated on this was not so much Where does my help come from? but rather Where does my inspiration come from? It is a question I often get asked, and I thought it was time to share some of what motivates and inspires me.Not that there is anything wrong with this - there most definitely is not. It is vitally important to take time away to listen to God. But there are times when we must act when we are uninspired.
Of course it is not an easy question to answer. In a nutshell, my inspiration comes from an integration of contemplative practices with my observations of life and creation. Often when I sit quietly in the presence of God aware of each life giving breath and of each loving heartbeat, listening to the quiet whispers of the eternal One’s voice, I sense the energy of God surging through me. Busyness, tiredness, anxiety and just plain distractedness all quench that.
Christ himself prayed at Gethsemane, "Not my will but thine." I would guess there is no amount of withdrawal that could inspire one to go through the trial and crucifixion. Sometimes, there is only duty.
I think it is an important point in our Christian growth when we learn that we will not always be inspired, that sometimes we do simply becasue we are supposed to. The next important point is when we learn that even when we act out of duty, we must act cheerfully, patiently and energetically - that's the point when we reach maturity.
That's why I think God often withholds inspiration. It's not that He is absent, it's that He is teaching us that we are so deeply His that He cannot be absent.
duty good cheer inspiration presence
