One of the classic spiritual disciplines in Christian tradition is that of discernment. No, not discernment of spirits--as to what is of a "true" spirit versus what is of a "false" spirit--rather, discernment (from an Ignatian spiritual heritage) is figuring out what we are attached to and how those attachments can hinder us from a direct and pure relationship with God. The first of the ten commandments speaks to attachments: "Thou shall have no other god before me." It does not take long before attachments become spiritual distractions that ultimately lead to a life lived in the flesh.
Attachments consist of anything that consumes our priorities and time: work, pursuit of opportunity, and eating (my own vice) to name a few. Even our religious piety and our rituals of faith can be attachments. Take note at church this Sunday: what do we do in worship "just because?" What has become stale in worship? What do we do in worship only because it makes us "feel better?" These are all threats that require our prayer and attention.
When people ask me about prayer, they ask: "Why pray? God knows our hearts and thoughts." My answer is a simple one: prayer is for not God's sake; it's for our sake. We pray because in the solitude of prayer, God confronts us with our attachments, brings to our attention our weaknesses, and simply asks us, in the midst of His presence, to "Let go and Let God."
What is it that you need to let go of today? What attachments have gotten in the way between you and God? Spend some time in prayer right now in which you envision yourself releasing those things that distract you to God.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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4 comments:
Joe,
It is incredible to me that you posted this at this time. I have been doing a lot of learning about eastern traditions, meditation, dualism, etc., and the primary point of Buddhism is to free oneself from exactly these attachments.
I am constantly amazed at how the religions of the world parallel one another so often.
I have been working as of late on these attachments and attempting to realize the significance of how they affect my journey. I have come to realize that at the most basic level, I am attached to "being attached." I don't want to give up the things that distract me. Perhaps it is a fear of intimacy with the Divine or perhaps it is merely selfishness, I don't know. What I do know is that this is a vital piece of the Spiritual Formation conversation that needs to be happening in our churches. Thanks for bringing it up.
Erin,
Interesting that you mention that and that Joe brought it up too. I've found great freedom whenever I have been able to stop "grasping" for things. It's a gift of God's grace and resting in God. For me it's a question of where my heart is located--with the distractions or with God? Will I draw from the deep, clean, renewing well of God or the junk food around me?
Practicing real sabbath has helped me with that. Sabbath is a day (not Sunday) where I don't try to perform, reach, grab, or achieve. I focus on my relationship with God and with other people--and the things that bring me life. Only things that are renewing are allowed unless absolutely necessary. And even at that, I try to invite God to redeem the "must-do tasks." Slowly, I'm learning to notice that God is walking with me as I do those things. That way some of the good things in my life become life-giving hobbies instead of distractions from the fear of looking inside.
Inner solitude (practiced through contemplation and just "being" with God in silence) is the place of rest but also of wrestling with the things that you grasp for or feel the need to be attached to. The good thing about that is that God will walk with us as we slowly encounter those things, name them and let go of them.
Now for my usual book references:
I first heard it called "the furnace of transformation" from Nouwen. Recently I've been reading "The way of the Heart" by Nouwen which also discusses "distractions" in the same way we're discussing "attachment." This book has been a lifeline for me. I just finished it for the 3rd time.
Also I just discovered, "Beyond the Ordinary" by Johnson and Dreitcer. Both are beautiful, practical and inspiring reads about minister's (and really anybody's) spirituality.
All that to say I share that part of the journey too and I think our churches desperately need to have ministers who can speak to this struggle.
Nouwen's "The Way of the Heart" is my personal favorite. I read it about twice a year, and have read it as such for the past 4 years.
Also check out Nouwen's The Gennessee Diary, which is a memoir for about 7 months of his own struggle with attachments.
I really appreciate your comments about attachment. When I practice "no attachment" in my own life, I feel more peaceful and more connected to the Divine. I see most, if not all, of the experiences in my life to be "spiritual tests". This means I practice gratitude in even the most challenging situations. Most recently, I was laid off after six years of professional practice in a community agency. It wasn't easy, but I practiced no attachment and gratitude for this experience. I ended up finding another position almost immediately. Of course, the transition is not easy but it is one that is helping me strengthen my relationship with the Divine.
On another note, I recently saw a movie called "Soul Masters". It really resonated with my soul. It is both a work of art and a transformative experience for the viewer. It is endorsed by many including Rev. Euncie Chalfant. Please go to www.drsha.com or www.TheSoulMastersMovie.com if you are interested in more information.
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