The Truth of Work Itself

One of my dear Amy friends (and I'm lucky enough to have two of them) sent me the following quote from Thomas Merton:

"Do not depend on the hope of results.  You may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect.  As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results, but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.  You gradually struggle less and less for an idea and more and more for a specific people.  In the end, it is the reality of personal relationship that saves everything."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
Zowie, that scratches an itch!

Silence

"One reason we can hardly bear to remain silent is that is makes us feel so helpless.  We are so accustomed to relying upon words to manage and control others.  If we are silent, who will take control?  God will take control, but we will never let him take control until we trust him.  Silence is intimately related to trust.

"The tongue is our most powerful weapon of manipulation.  A frantic stream of words flows from us because we are in a constant process of adjusting our public image.  We fear so deeply what we think other people see in us that we talk in order to straighten out their understanding.... Silence is one of the deepest Disciplines of the Spirit simply because it puts the stopper on all self-justification.

"One of the fruits of silence is the freedom to let God be our justifier.  We don't need to straighten others out.  There is a story of a medieval monk who was being unjustly accused of certain offenses.  One day he looked out his window and saw a dog biting and tearing on a rug that had been hung out to dry.  As he watched, the Lord spoke to him saying, 'That is what is happening to your reputation.  But if you will trust me, I will care for you -- reputation and all.'  Perhaps more than anythign else, silence brings us to believe that God can care for us. -- 'reputation and all.'"

- From Richard Foster's chapter on "Solitude" in Celebration of Discipline

Free to Run and Play

A prominent theme for me this past year has been freedom.  I hadn't anticipated it being a theme.  If I were to select one myself, I'd probably choose a character trait needing improvement -- something like patience, peace, compassion.  This freedom thing seems to be God's idea.

I first noticed the theme at a retreat in March.  A friend read Psalm 63 from Eugene Peterson's The Message translation.  These words jumped out to me:

"Because you've always stood up for me, I'm free to run and play."


Upon hearing that line, I knew it was meant for me.  I reflected on how carefully I tend to tread through life, trying to step wisely, trying to not make mistakes, trying to be not just above reproach, but above all criticism.  This creates a life that is intentional, yes, but one often accompanied by a clenched jaw and a sour stomach.  One that doesn't allow much time to run and play.

The retreat was in the Colorado Rockies.  I love the mountains.  Across the street were hiking paths and foothills, perfect for bouldering, for scrambling around like a kid, for savoring broad panoramic views.  During the free time after hearing that verse, I hiked alone, literally running and bounding and playing.  (At least until my lungs protested the thin air.)  

The view atop one of the boulders.

Later, a friend who'd been sitting high on a boulder told me she had watched me at play.  Normally I would have felt highly embarrassed to discover someone was watching.  But she expressed such joy at witnessing my playfulness I realized God too had noticed and watched and enjoyed.


Free to run and play.


Because you've always stood up for me...


The rough situation I've experienced these past few weeks makes me want to defend myself.  Misunderstanding, misinterpretation, misrepresentation.  They all burn deeply.  I want to lash out in anger and vindication to protect myself.  I want to set the record straight.  I want to warn others, or at least to drop little watch-out-this-could-happen-to-you hints.  


I've heard God is my defender, but frankly, he seems to have been asleep on the job here.  Even a good friend who did step up and strongly defend me was  reprimanded, shamed, misunderstood.  


That was one of the lowest points for me, for my husband, for some of my friends.  The realization that this is actually happening and there's no turning back now.  Lines have been drawn.  Bridges have been burned.  Ultimatums have been issued.  Reconciliation, if it occurs at all, will be a long, arduous process.


The next morning, when I checked email, I found a Noisetrade link to the album "Now You're Free" by Matthew Mayfield.  


Now you're free.  Indeed.  


At the time, I smirked.  Part of me took it as a message from God.  The cynical part of me just took it as interesting timing.  A few days later, I actually listened to the song (lyrics here, scroll down on the page).

"Don't let the wave push and pull you away

Now you're free and it sets you apart."

I'm realizing through this song, through the Psalm 63 passage, through countless other recent hints and nudges, that I am free, that God has set me free -- not just in a meta, life-encompassing sense, but in this specific situation.  His mercy is sometimes severe, but it is indeed merciful.  He is being merciful to me.

When I feel despairing about the situation, I'm trying to focus on the sheer freedom that comes with it.  This calms my anxious heart and helps me to trust, sleep, smile.  It helps me to imagine a day very soon when I might run and play with more freedom and bounce in my step.  

Last night, my daughter said, "Mom, you seem awfully sprightly tonight."  My son asked her what that meant and she explained.  He looked at me, cocked his head and said, "Yeah, she is looking sprightly."  Perhaps it is true.

***********

As I was looking through my Colorado retreat photos to chose one to insert in this post, I discovered one other retreat pic I had forgotten.

An American friend who lives in what used to be Eastern Germany brought the picture.  He said it represents a common theme in his life the previous few months.  I asked him for a copy because translated into English, this sign says... Freedom.