Slow
and steady
like
the beating
of a drum,
from the depths –
You call.
In You,
I discover a landscape
that is always responsive
yet unchanging –
completely secure,
yet full of surprises.
You are the diamond brilliance of stars like a crown,
the silky petals of a rose closing all around,
the fresh blanket of snow that isn’t cold,
a wellspring of molten gold.
You treat each moment
like a priceless gem,
expressing exactly
what needs to be said
without words,
taking all of eternity into account every time.
I am
always listening
for the beat of Your heart,
always looking
for a narrow opening
through the crowded wilderness
of my own self back
to that essential place in You,
from which all good things come.
James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Matthew 22 36-40
“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” Jesus declared, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
1 Corinthians 12 4-11
4 There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit. 5 There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. 6 There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.
The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages. All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.
Matthew 7:11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
Have you ever wondered why you are so blessed with particular talents, opportunities, health or relationships, while others struggle with the very thing that comes so naturally to you?
Has life stripped down your egoic structures enough to help you realize the source of your giftedness and how utterly you rely on the mercy of God?
In life, we can be tempted to give ourselves too much credit for things, which are pure gifts from the heavens, which have been bestowed upon us to glorify God.
We can also be tempted to work too hard trying to impose our own will on those around us, rather than surrender into divine will, seeking graces from our heavenly father.
We are all called to be active participants in our life of faith, working interiorly to purify our hearts of pride, greed, unforgiveness and vanity in order live in closer union with the living Spirit of God and courageously step out on faith. This requires surrender and trust in Divine Providence.
The greatest work we ever do is in learning to love the Lord with all of our hearts and reorder our lives to glorify God, rather than our own egos.
It’s amazing to experience the graces that begin to flow as we journey through our own interior struggles into closer union with the living spirit of God, which is present in every moment and overflowing graces to shower on and through us. Truly, all things work for the good of those, who love God and are called according to His purposes.
Has life stripped you down to the point of becoming aware of Your total dependence on the merciful heart of God? What challenging situations and encounters with Him have helped you realize that He truly is the source of all good things in your life and the lives of others? Can you perceive the heartbeat of God, drawing you closer to union with Him all the time? Are you truly grateful to God for the blessings of your life, which have been lavished on you so freely? Comment below, and I’ll be delighted to keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Lord, You are the solution to all of our problems, the true fount of all wisdom, mercy and goodness in this world. Please help us to grow in humility and be truly grateful for the gifts You have given us out of Your mercy and great love for us. Help us to seek You and believe in Your miraculous abilities to shower blessings on those we love. Help us perceive all the ways You communicate with us interiorly, so we can live in union with the graces that flow from your Sacred Heart. Open our hearts to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, so we can live in a a state of ever-clearer supernatural communication with You. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
written by Nicky Gant for http://www.uniteinprayer.org 3/31/2021