Tag Archives: Human

March 19, 2016 · 11:30 pm

All the Difference in the World

Twentieth century existential psychologist Rollo May said, “It is an old and ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way.” The more I think about that statement, the closer I get to full agreement with Dr. May. We often think that the faster we work, the quicker we can solve a seemingly unsolvable problem. How many times do we find ourselves lost in our problems and never stop long enough to evaluate our options? In my life I can recall times that I didn’t know where I was or what I was doing there, but I continued to busy my life with frantic activity.

After a very tiring day of ministry, Jesus said to his disciples; “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” He had found himself in a situation where rest was necessary for more ministry to follow. In the same way, we can lose ourselves in good things, works that make a difference, and literally become exhausted and unable to accomplish our goals. In these times we are lost, and hurried activities will not solve our lostness.

We must allow ourselves “breathing space” to think, to rest and to find ourselves. Never have I heard a story of a lost person who found his way by moving faster, but often we find our center as we slow down. If you find yourself feeling lost or overwhelmed, take time to do an inventory. Breathing space can make all the difference in the world.

Rollo May and the Courage to Create (psychologytoday.com)

Self Creation

Augustine of Hippo speaking to those who doubted the God of creation tells us: “Where could such a creature come but from you, O Lord? Is any man clever enough to have fashioned himself? Or is there any other source from which being and life could flow into us…”

Let us examine two questions.

Where did we originate if not from God?

Recently, Scientist Stephen Hawking has concluded that the Big Bang was the result of the inevitable laws of physics and did not need God to spark the creation of the Universe. Augustine set forth a really good contrary argument when he challenges our origin, if not from God where? This whole concept of scientific randomness is very difficult for me to believe. I believe that the whole mystery of life and death points to a creator. That may be an old fashioned concept, but it brings me a sense of place that far exceeds that I am a random act of physics.

Can we create ourselves?

Man has been trying to create himself for a very long time, but we have never become clever enough to succeed. From the earliest days of science we have sought to find the key to life, and it is a noble quest. A man can no more create himself than he suspend himself in the air. There must be help to do such a thing. Creation is God’s providence. Humans are very presumptuous when they claim to have this matter solved. Life and faith are about mystery, not certainty!

May God allow His essence to continue to flow through us.

The Age of the Earth and the Age of the Argument (boberthill.com)
The Scriptural Roots of St. Augustine’s Spirituality (insightscoop.typepad.com)

Imagine a World

“Imagine that the world is a circle, that God is the center, and that the radii are the different ways human beings live. When

those who wish to come closer to God walk towards the center of the circle, they come closer to one another at the same time as to God. The closer they come to God, the closer they come to one another. And the closer they come to one another, the closer they come to God.”

—– Dorotheus of Gaza

One of the prime objectives of the Christian life is to bring us closer to God and each other. Perhaps we have misread the secret of achieving this noble goal. Abba Dorotheus gives us this formula to follow. Most of us want God to be the center of our world and we want to be as close to Him as possible. Could it be that we could solve so many of the world’s problems by simply putting Him, at the center and moving in His direction?

How do we make God the center of our world?