Lent Exercises: Seek - Wanting God's Life Without Limit

I was walking down Broadway with a lot on my mind.  I was in NYC for a set of interviews.  A few weeks before I’d come down for a set of auditions.  I stuffed my hands in my pockets as I walked past the open market that used to be on the west side of Columbus Circle.  

What would it mean to make an abrupt turn at this point in my career?  Was I making a mistake?  Was going into ministry career suicide?  

As I turned these questions over in my mind, I heard Luke 12:31 thundering in my skull.  “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  The voice in my mind was not my own.  It was urgent, powerful, and beautiful.  

I made the career turn.

In Luke 12:22-34 Jesus invites his friends to believe that God cares more about providing for our needs than we do.  He prompts us to look at flowers, birds, and grass.  If God takes care of grass, birds, and flowers, why do we doubt God’s interest and ability to take care of us?  

If God’s posture towards us is love, we are free to love in response.  This is the foundation and principle of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.  David Fleming translates Ignatius’ words this way. 

The goal of our life is to live with God forever. God, who loves us, gave us life. Our own response of love allows God’s life to flow into us without limit. 

All the things in this world are gifts of God, presented to us so that we can know God more easily and make a return of love more readily. 

As a result, we appreciate and use all these gifts of God insofar as they help us develop as loving persons. But if any of these gifts become the center of our lives, they displace God and so hinder our growth toward our goal. 

In everyday life, then, we must hold ourselves in balance before all of these created gifts insofar as we have a choice and are not bound by some obligation. We should not fix our desires on health or sickness, wealth or poverty, success or failure, a long life or a short one. For everything has the potential of calling forth in us a deeper response to our life in God. 

Our only desire and our one choice should be this: I want and I choose what better leads to God’s deepening his life in me. 

Imagine allowing God’s life to flow into us without limit.  What stirs in you?  

Are there things, loves, gifts, (a career ambition) that are displacing God’s life?  Can you imagine living in greater freedom?

Try this prayer: Loving God, I want, to want, more of your life in me.  Help me see, touch, taste, know, and choose what better leads to your life in me.