Through praying with the various Scriptures suggested for the First Week of the Spiritual Exercises, we come to understand that even though we are sinful people God still loves us and offers us forgiveness. We are invited to view sin as God sees sin. The lens we look through, though, is one of love, which is why we spend time before the First Week of the Exercises praying with the First Principle and Foundation and Scriptures that accompany it.
The First Week of my 19th annotation retreat was challenging at times, because my eyes were significantly opened to see my own sinfulness. The words, “Re-situate your life” were a repeated phrase that gently crossed my thoughts. These were words, spoken in love by God, that held the profound challenge to re-situate my life around Christ and not around the things in my life that appeared to be good: my hubby and kids, my ministry, my commitments.
When I reflect back on my First Week experience during the Exercises, I see a firm but gentle peeling back of the many layers that were keeping me from fully following Christ and from fully centering my life in Christ. The preparation time before I took a healthy look at what kept me from putting God first in my life was foundational for me. The preparation time before the First Week built an intimacy and trust in Jesus, and it strengthened my understanding of the depth of love he had for me. It was only after reminding me of his love that Jesus walked with me on the road to fully re-situating my life around him. It’s a journey that continues to bear fruit in ways beyond my imagination!
My eyes are open my heart is willing Focus on this new beautiful feeling each day as I am teachable God Bless
I can relate! Thanks so much for your reflection.
I love this post so much. Centering your life in Christ reminds me of the mindfulness practice I try to keep. Always pulling back into this present moment, Always pulling back to be Christ centered.
I am feeling some sort of change too, this Lent. And yes, it is a struggle and maybe what I don’t want. It is some much easier to be scattered and not committed.
Just a beautiful, on point reflection!
m.
Marg,
Mindfulness practice or prayer is such a transformative experience, isn’t it? I am always amazed at what happens within stillness and silence.
I pray for the “change” you are currently feeling, and I pray for you to have the courage to hold onto Christ during the continued journey of transformation!
Thanks for taking the time to read and respond!
Keep us posted!
Living a Christ centered life is what I THOUGHT I was doing. But no. I really don’t know yet how I will do that and that is the change I am feeling during Lent. Always coming back that that center when I am scattered and distracted and not so nice is really hard. I keep refocusing, re-situating, really trying to figure out what God wants. Your original post coupled with a short video over on DDF by Vinita really put my mind in gear.
Thanks to all of you for setting up this wonderful Lenten opportunity.
m.
“firm but gentle peeling back of the many layers that were keeping me from fully following Christ and from fully centering my life in Christ”
Sometimes the blocks come in the form of good things, or people in our lives. I loved this post. It is happening to me this Lent though I would prefer it not. But growth in the spiritual life is inevitable!
Kathleen,
Thank goodness it was a gentle peeling back, and not a peeling back that overwhelms us!
Praying for your own “peeling back” this lent!
Peace,
Becky