Monday Lent 3

‭‭Light, space, zest— that’s God! So, with him on my side I’m fearless, afraid of no one and nothing.

When besieged, I’m calm as a baby. When all hell breaks loose, I’m collected and cool.

I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. 

That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, The perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic.

Psalm 27:1, 3-5 MSG

This sounds true of me when I return to my groundedness. Depending on what situation is at hand, I may not always be calm, collected, and cool. I have many parts that tend to take over when a wound has been touched. I can go from calm to, well let’s just say, the opposite of calm super quick. I don’t always seek to contemplate or find a quite place to process. Many times, I react.

I long to respond with calmness, with gentleness.  This feels more like my truest self. It is in these spaces that I am able to offer my best self to myself and to another. The process that gets me here is a beautiful process and no longer brings shame. Because of this, the process happens much quicker. I don’t wallow in my reaction and withdraw to dark places. I pause, notice, and pray.  Amazingly, God sends light to illuminate the way forward. I step into the light and know that God is on my side.