In my life, I have found that God’s greatest work occurs during our times of suffering and pain. It is in these moments that we learn humility, patience, trust, and surrender. God is not able to work freely in our lives when we are in control, when we have the plan, when we are taking care of things. God’s deepest desire is for us to learn to surrender ourselves and our wills, and to be transformed into all we are created to be.
In recent years, I have experienced significant transformation in my spiritual life that has created a desire to live more fully in the present moment, to be authentically myself, and to accompany others on their spiritual journeys.
Through the struggle, through the questioning, through the prayer, and the reflection, we are drawn into deeper levels of relationship with God. We are reminded that everything God creates is created good, including each of us. We are loved in our messiness, in our brokenness. God shares in our suffering and pain, and through it, we are transformed into the image and likeness of God.
Here are the lessons I learned.
- The only moment that we have any control over is the present moment. The past has already been written. The future is out of our control. The greatest gift we can give is to be Love in the present moment, and to surrender to God’s plan for the future, to surrender to being, and not being, knowing, and unknowing, to simply practice the gift of presence. To see Christ in others, and to be Christ for others.
- We are all connected, one human family, no matter the difference, be it age, race, gender, ethnicity, skin color, country, economic status, political or religious beliefs. We are called to be love. If we are going to impact lives, helping them to experience the presence of God in their hearts, leading them to an encounter with God’s love and mercy, we need to be willing to enter into authentic relationships of accompaniment with them.
- Life is not simply about the destination, life is first and foremost about the journey, and those we share the journey with. It’s about both the journey and the dream. Embrace them both.
- Life is about relationships, joy, peace, and connection, with God, with every one, with every thing, with Love, for God IS love.
Peace,
Joseph Krans, Executive Director
