Words of Wisdom, Email Newsletter
Plant seeds of wisdom today
Take the next 41 or so breaths slowly and reflect deeply on your life. I hope these words help you grow in you the most valuable treasure in life: wisdom. Wisdom grows imperceptibly but flourishes like a mighty oak, standing the test of time.
WoW 131: On desperation for God
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In moments of brutal honesty, you may find yourself echoing the words of the Psalmist:
"Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD" (Psalm 130:1).
This cry of desperation acknowledges the overwhelming weight of our struggles and the depths of our helplessness apart from God.
You're not in control of overcoming your struggles in your own strength. You are powerless and need God.
Therefore, seeking God is not merely a nice suggestion of mine. Don't mistake this for a lifestyle upgrade, or self-help advice. Surrendering to God is not a trendy life hack. It's the last gasp of a rebel laying down arms before the only King who can truly set him free.
You desperately need God. Whether you know it or not. There is an infinite abyss that separates you from flourishing. Only the infinite and unchangeable, only the ultimate, that which is outside of time and space and the Creator of all that you know, the One who designed you, gave you life, and holds your life together one breath at a time, only the Almighty One can bridge the gap that separates you from God. Only this God of love can give you true soulful rest and empower you along the Way.
The Psalmist's cry is a recognition that our only hope lies in God's mercy and power. It's a turning point where we stop relying on our own strength and start casting ourselves on God's grace. This posture of humble dependence is the starting point and the necessary ongoing condition for true transformation and freedom from the depths of our struggles.
Quotes
"Most of us were taught that God would love us if and when we change. In fact, God loves you so that you can change. What makes you desire change is the inner experience of love. This alone becomes the engine of positive change."
Richard Rohr, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
"Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace."
Augustine of Hippo, Confessions
Questions
In what areas of your life are you still trying to rely on your own strength instead of God's?
Augustine's words express an intense longing for God's presence. Have you ever experienced a similar desire or feeling of being pursued by God?
What is one practical way can you cultivate a posture of humble dependence on God in your daily life? How can you apply that in the smallest way possible this week?
(Use these questions as a journal prompt and to guide your prayers this week)
Endnote
Our desperate need for God turns out to be the best possible of all scenarios: not only a death sentence without God, but a life sentence with God: an invitation to soul satisfying love.
Live wisely,
Josh
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