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Today's Scripture ~
Luke 12.47-49 (NCV)
The servant who knows what his master wants but is not ready, or who does not do what the master wants, will be beaten with many blows! But the servant who does not know what his master wants and does things that should be punished will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And from the one trusted with much, much more will be expected.
Wisdom Story
A student asked Suzuki Roshi why the Japanese make teacups so thin and delicate that they break easily. "It's not that they're too delicate," he answered, "but that you don't know how to handle them. You must adjust yourself to the environment, and not vice versa."
*Story from To Shine One Corner of the World: Moments with Shunryu Suzuki: Stories of a Zen Teacher Told by His Students. Ed. David Chadwick.
Comments
We may have to discern between two options, when we find ourselves discontent with our place in life ~ often this will pertain to one of two areas, if not both at once: our job, a relationship.
(1) We may discern that where we are is where we are meant to be, even if only temporarily. This means that you can affirm you sense that you are where God has placed you.
(2) We may conclude that where we are is not where we need to be, indeed, are meant to be, and we must begin making a change.
Suzuki Roshi implies we have two environments. First, we have an outer environment. This is the collective milieu in which we live: external geography. Then, we have an inner environment: internal geography. Key here is our attitude. Often, discontent with the outer environment calls us to alter the inner environment. Likewise, discontent or suffering in the inner environment may imply a necessary change in our outer life situation. Yes, inner suffering can be the voice of God.
The discernment about life station is a spiritual process. This implies we need to bathe the discernment in prayer and meditation and, usually, seek advice from other spiritually sensitive persons.
Another option is to gather around yourself a discernment group. Have some trusted persons to gather with you for a discernment meeting, persons who know you well enough to reflect what they discern your spiritual gifts are. These persons, also, you can trust to be honest, caring enough for you to share clearly what they discern about your seeking.
We are powerful, creative persons. God gifted us with freedom and capability to make changes in our life situation, and at times we simply outgrow the place or work God once used us in.
Recall this wise Jesus saying, when he compares relationship with the Spirit to common human relations between master and servant (this can easily apply to an employee and employer relationship): "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And from the one trusted with much, much more will be expected."
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Our life situation, all of it, is a sacred trust from the Divine. We are to remain faithful in whatever contexts we find ourselves. Often, patience with a context itself is preparation to be trusted with another life situation.
Possibly, also, being in a life context is the place to prepare you for readiness for another one. Furthermore, while being open to remain in a situation, if it be the Divine will, we are to open for changes that would enable us more fully to use our gifts and graces. You are not being more faithful to the Divine by settling for less a context for your gifts, when you could pray, work toward, and remain open for a context more receptive for the fullness of your self and spiritual gifts.
What is most important is to be faithful where we are at any given time. Often, persons find God places them in contexts that seem less than what the person would have chosen for himself or herself. This can be very frustrating, but more so until one comes to cease resisting being in that place.
I myself have faced the frustration, and often, of trying to serve in contexts not what I would have chosen for myself. Indeed, at times, I have not seen the fairness in being in a particular place, when I compare what I felt gifted to do and the little openness for it to be done in the context. However, I have often found comfort and grace in finding God in the very context I would not have chosen for myself. I have, also, discovered the power of changing the inner environment ~ my attitude and perspective ~ about the situation I find myself in.
I have found that Spirit often works through us in ways we do not see until later. For example, now that I am aged forty seven, I see that where I have served as pastor over the last twenty eight years, I have touched lives that may not have been touched in the way God gifted me to do so. I have said, and I truly believe, that if I help change one life for good, my life has value and would have been worth the living, when I part this earthly passage.
Abandonment to divine providence is not just accepting our life situation. The same providence that graces us to accept a life situation may work to lead us to another one. Still, our part consists in seeking to trust that God will use and lead us in ways we will not understand, while we truly believe the Divine knows best how to place us in this world for blessing others.
Suggested Reflection
Do you find yourself content with the life context you are now living in? If so, how do discern that is the place God wills for you to be?
Do you find yourself questioning whether you are where God would have you to be? What is leading to your questioning? What processes might you engage to discern what direction God might will for you?
Brian is available to respond to requests pertaining to seeking a Spiritual Director, his speaking, doing classes, workshops, or retreats for churches or other spiritual groups.
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