I don’t know if this has ever happened to you, but sometimes, when everything has been going great, when I think I may have it all figured out, that I have finally “arrived” from a spiritual standpoint – the rug is unceremoniously pulled out from under me. At these times I have felt like I was back at square one and needed to “re-think” my entire belief system. As it turns out, that is the worst thing I could have done. Thinking got me to where I am, and thinking would only keep me there…or worse!

I forget that the whole of life, in which the “spiritual” is contained, is a process. But when I’m able to remember this, rather than complaining that I’m having a “crisis of faith”, I can prepare myself rather, for a change in my perspective and understanding. The longer I resist whatever that change is, the longer it takes and the more miserable I feel.

Below is an article I “poached” from Fr. Richard Rohr’s blog, called “Unpacking Paradox”. It was helpful to me recently in understanding the changing dimensions of my faith through maturity and becoming comfortable with “unknowing”.

Enjoy.
Steve
http://richardrohr.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/is-god-a-person/

Brother, we dwell in the same valley!
Somedays it’s almost comical, like the old Ziggy cartoon: “Just when I found out where it was at, somebody moved it.”
That’s why I love the term ‘pilgrimage’. It implies the destination is secure; its just the journey that’s hazardous. The longer I “do” this the more I realize just how long the journey is.
I guess its time to slow down and pay more attention to the path rather than worrying what time I’ll get there!

Salaam Alaikum,

David