"The gift of Christian service is this: the work we do in this life is the labor of losing ourselves to find--and to be found in--God."
Sr. Colleen Gibson, "Give Us This Day"
This made me sit up a bit straighter and read it twice this morning. For a long time I felt the good I try to do in this life was earning me brownie points or paying my "fire insurance" as Richard Rohr likes to say. There was an element of delayed gratification in it--I do this now for a reward in heaven later. Gradually, I'm learning that the later is now. I do whatever I can to help in this world now, because of God within me, not to appease God or lure God over to my corner. God, residing within me, just wants to love others through me. As I lose myself and surrender to that, I experience my unity with God. It's all happening here and now, not in anticipation of some later pay off. When I struggle to love others well, I need to remember to let go of myself and just let God love through me. Easier said than done, of course! But, identifying that God is already working within me is a good start! As we go about our November Tuesday, let's remember that, as we struggle to love, that is not our true selves struggling...as we grow to let go of our false selves, God shines through. And God can brightly shine through even the tiniest little crack! Love, heidi
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