Daily Devotion - Thursday, February 24

This is the Moment

Henri Nouwen’s book, Here and Now, is serving as our “textbook” for this week’s devotional thoughts. Dr. Nouwen has many excellent writings. He has been a mentor to me through his writings and my participation at two seminars where he was the keynote speaker.

“Do you have a clear goal in life? The athletes whose clear goal
is the attainment of the Olympic gold are willing
to let everything else become secondary.
The way they eat, sleep, study and train
are all determined by that one clear goal.”

Disciplined living is very difficult. We are surrounded by so many possibilities that it is hard to focus on what are goal is. Another way of saying this might be, “What is your passion?” Once a person has absolute clarity about their goal or passion, the puzzle of life will fall into place.

Listening each week to nearly one hundred grieving persons (some individually and many in group) I hear many things. One thing I hear time and time again is: “I don't know what I am supposed to be doing now.” The gray cloud of grief, loss and transition that hovers over us in our difficult times seems to leave us feeling lost in the wilderness. Discovering your passion, defining your goal is critical.

How? Reading helps, even if you don't feel you are comprehending. Listening to your “soul” helps. Turning off the music, the TV, the radio and just living with silence helps. A healthy diet and a good night's rest help. The cloud will lift and a clear, probably demanding, goal will emerge. Developing these practices for each and every moment are necessary if you want to experience joy. Why not take this moment to develop your disciplines?

--Ben Keckler
02.24.11