Advent Series, #4
In taking a few moments to sit in the middle of the day, my attention turns to the many blessings that our Spiritual Community brings to my life. I pray that each of you is making the most of this beautiful, sunny December day.
On this 4th day of Advent, my attention lingers on Faith, and on the way that Patience calls me to faithfully wait. Both history and mythology are filled with stories of people waiting…for the return of the light, for the birth of a child, the return of peace after war, or economic stability after recession. In my own life, there have been many periods of waiting. In fact, I’m engaging in one of those times now. You, too? What a coincidence! This being the case, it might be useful to reflect a bit on the process itself. What is the nature of waiting? What is the practice of waiting? How am I called to wait?
First, waiting is pregnant with promise. This can be seen in the Christian Gospels, as over and over again, the Hebrew people are made to wait…for the flood to recede, for their exile to end, for entrance to the Promised Land. The very act of waiting indicates that something is at work in my life, some process has begun and is underway, like a seed that has started to grow. Knowing this helps immensely when I am called to wait. I can trust that, rather than moving from nothing to something, by patiently waiting I am taking part in the creative process, moving from something to something more. And so, patiently I wait, curiosity peaked, expectancy growing…grounded in the creative states of surrender, presence, compassion, gratitude, humility, and faith.
Second, in recognizing that a process is underway, waiting becomes active. Just as there is nothing passive in the world’s great scriptures, neither is there anything passive about walking the Spiritual Path in the 21st century. If I am to make the most of my waiting, it is imperative to recognize and acknowledge that what I am waiting for is already growing from the Ground of All Being, in God’s perfect time and place, for the Highest Good of all. This is the secret of graceful waiting…the key to living contentedly in the mystery…faith that the seed has been planted, that something beautiful and purposeful has begun.
Extended periods of active waiting, such as we are experiencing now, require a radical kind of patience. Catholic Priest, Henri Nouwen, in his essay Waiting for God, says, “A waiting person is a patient person. The word patience means the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us. Impatient people are always expecting the real thing to happen somewhere else and therefore want to go elsewhere. The moment is empty. But patient people dare to stay where they are.”
As I learn to partner with the waiting, rather than making it my enemy, I become increasingly more attentive…fully present to what is before me, right here and now…and now…and now. I nurture the moment with a deep conviction that this moment is the moment…the only one that matters. In this way, I involve myself in an active waiting that opens doors, creates opportunities, and stretches and strengthens every aspect of my being – body, mind, and soul. “While waiting may necessitate a certain powerlessness, this does not mean giving up intelligence, action, and hope. Active waiting teaches us to trust that each small step is part of a larger process – a process in which we can participate with steady determination and lively expectation.” (Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting, Holly W. Whitcomb)
As I mature, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, I become more patient. And from this greater patience grows a deeper faith. The benefits of consciously and actively pursuing personal growth are too numerous to mention. My life continues to grow more Joyful and Graceful with each year that passes. And as more and more of us make this a priority in our lives, we are actively engaging in the maturing of the human family, in the conscious evolution of humanity. This is a courageous act! Thank you, Beloved, for your bravery and your willingness to walk this path with me. It is a journey with no ending, no final destination…there is only a spiral staircase, leading inward, onward, and upward…forever and ever…Amen.
Know that today and always, I am here to support you.
Know that today and always, you are stronger and wiser than you know.
May we all look to the Light…be well…stay in touch…know our unity…and thrive! And…
May we know the Absolute Beauty and Wonder of this Grace-filled, once-in-a lifetime day, as Infinite Intelligence continues to pour Its blessings upon our world.
