The greatest concern that I now have is what my life and schedule will look like on my return from my sabbatical. I want somehow to take the silence and solitude that I will learn and bring those into a deeper connection with my current and future spiritual life. I don't want to return the same.
On Tuesday, August 17th, 1974, Henri Nouwen writes:
"How can I really develop a deep prayer life when I am back again at my busy work? I have the tendency to finish small and large jobs as soon as possible, and as long as I remain surrounded by unfinished tasks, my prayer is nearly impossible since I use the time for prayer to wonder about the many things I still have to do. It always seems that there is something more urgent and more important than prayer."
If I am going to be honest heading into my Sabbatical...I need to know where I am spiritually in order to know where I want to be spiritually. I need to know the depth of my relationship with the Father currently if I want to take some steps to deepen the relationship. I can honestly say that my prayer life needs an overhaul. I am typically thinking about tasks in my prayers and not focusing on the One who holds the power to accomplish those tasks. I am often focused on my to-do list and not on God's to-do list. I often cannot even quiet my mind enough to listen to what God would have me hear.
John Eudes who was the head of the Genesee Monastery gives the wisest advice on prayer that I have ever heard. I'm not going to share it here...just in case there are a few readers out there who want to read the book.
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I'd love to hear from you!!! Just post your comments, however they may not appear in the comments display immediately. I'll try to respond asap!
Jon