Slow Work of God

      12 Practices to Navigate Your Spiritual Journey – The Wholly Grail 

 

“Above all, trust in the slow work of God.” Teilhard de Chardin

When I was a novice, I thought that by the time I was 60 or so, I would be pretty close to holiness. I would have developed a deep prayer life, and have overcome most of my defects. But look at me! I’m past 80, still sloughing along, sinful and lazy, distracted and complaining, far from the person I want to be. I often ask God to give me humility, give me courage, give me patience, give me a generous heart. Yet, my progress is so slow, almost infinitesimal. How long, O Lord? I cry out with the prophets of old.

I reflect on Chardin’s advice. “Above all, trust in the slow work of God.” Since God has no sense of time, past, present, and future are all one to him. We have to believe that God knows what he is doing, or he wouldn’t be God. So slow is good, as God is good. Even when I do not realize it, God is slowly drawing out the good in me.

Most of us are so impatient to reach the goal. We are reluctant to go through all the intermediate steps, the unexciting, painful parts of the journey. Each step, each phase is important along the way to the Unknown. None of them can be skipped.

So I try to be content to walk with God, millimeter by millimeter, knowing he is directing my path, knowing he will not let me stray too far. I have the assurance he will stay the course when I falter, will pick me up when I fall down. Mysteriously, steadily, the slow work of God is going on. 

Thank you, Lord, for your care for me. Help me to be patient with myself.

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