05-19-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
May 19, 2024
This has been a tough week for many people—the storm, power-outages, a family member having an unexpected surgery, busyness around graduations, a pending move, saying goodbye to a beloved furry and four-legged family member, having a dishwasher go on the fritz, battling the health insurance company, or watching the news with disbelief and heartache. Your list might not have included any of these, but life happens as life is happening, and there are times when it can feel overwhelming. On this Pentecost Sunday, I give thanks for the gift of the Spirit that tries, in spite of my regular pushback, to help me focus on what is really important. Oh sure, some of the less important stuff still needs attention, but I wonder how often I give the little stuff too much power and control. Do I feed it with my anxious energy, allowing it to grow right before my eyes? It doesn’t happen without practice, but if I have been mindful of my spiritual practices, making space daily for the Spirit to dwell more deeply within me, and I am having regular conversations with God that feel like the conversations I have with a close friend, then I am in a better place to pause, take a deep breath, and see what truly needs my attention and what can wait (or maybe even be ignored). When I have not been mindful of my spiritual health, the chaos of life can become an insurmountable obstacle to which I feel powerless. Jesus spoke about having faith the size of a mustard seed, and such faith could move mountains. Sometimes I think even a little bit of well-grounded faith allows us to realize that the mountain before us is not even the mountain God wants us to climb, and definitely not the mountain we are being asked to die on. When I am a bit more spiritually centered, I can often turn away from that immeasurable obstacle that has been set before me, only to then realize what God is inviting me to tackle is something entirely different, something that might be challenging, but it aligns with my gifts and the spiritual support system I have around me.

May the grace-filled power of your Spirit pour over me in a new and fresh way on this Pentecost Sunday. Come, Holy Spirit, and I will make space for you. Amen.