AWESTRUCKDUMBPILGRIM
  • Home Page
  • Musings
  • Reflections on Quotes
  • Poems
  • Aphorisms
  • Non Judgmental Awareness
  • The Year of Living Slowly
  • Pastor of Listening (Description and Articles)
  • Refuse to be Driven so that you Might be Drawn
  • Contemplation (Definitions)
  • Left-handed Power
  • Thickening the Sacred Story: Narrative Therapy and Spiritual Direction
  • Spiritual Direction, Contact Information
  • The Nature of Evil

Spiritual Direction

2/9/2013

2 Comments

 
As responsibilities and maturity increase in the life of faith the subtleties of temptation also increase and the urgency of having a spiritual director increases.

--Eugene Peterson


Assuming that this is an accurate assessment of the "normal Christian life," does it change your idea of what maturity is meant to look like?

On the surface there may be little difference between a maturity based on people pleasing and that which springs from surrender to the Spirit of God. The latter, however, takes one into unknown, unfamiliar territory where it can become difficult to maintain one's poise.  It is a risk to release control of one's life and consent to God's transforming presence.  When God shines light on our inner reality it can feel as if we've regressed into an earlier stage of development.

In my life with God I am finding that my freedom has increased and curiously along with it so has the possibility of error. I like to say that if you're not making mistakes you're only half alive. And perhaps the freedom to make mistakes is a part of the child-likeness that opens the gates of the Kingdom. But a child needs loving boundaries and honest mirroring. Spiritual direction is a terrific place to play, to discover and to grow.
2 Comments
deenor
2/8/2013 08:09:09 am

This makes sense, but where do I find a spiritual director?

Reply
norf
2/18/2013 05:46:26 am

There's Spiritual Directors International. Or the Sister's of St. Joseph in Orange, CA, they have been training directors for over 30 years and can give referrals.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    David Norling

    I am the awestruckdumbpilgrim

    Archives

    February 2019
    March 2018
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2016
    April 2015
    July 2014
    June 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.