In the journey of life, are you a driver or a passenger?

As a driver, one needs to pay very close attention to many things. First, is the car itself; is it working correctly? Are the tires okay? Is there enough gas? Then there is the road. Where are you going? Do you know the way, or are you referring to maps/GPS to guide you? How fast can you go on the road; do you drive the speed limit (or a little over that)? But you’re not on the road alone, so you need to be mindful of other drivers. On a highway, it may seem easy, since everyone is going in the same direction, but the higher speeds involved, added to the traffic that surrounds you in the front, back and on either side, can make driving just as challenging — or even more so — than a two lane road with oncoming traffic. And if this was not enough, some folks have passengers in their vehicles, which can be both a distraction and a helpful set of extra eyes.

Some people enjoy driving and find it relaxing. For me, I do it because I have to, not because I want to. On the rare occasion that I get to be a passenger, sometimes it takes me a few miles to realize that I don’t have to keep my focus on the road in front of me, the driver is already doing that. It’s then that I can start to appreciate the beauty of the side windows. I can see things! The driver may be on the same road that I drive every day, but when I drive, my focus is trained on the road and any potential hazards, I don’t get to really see anything too far beyond the side of the road. Being a passenger allows me to find new places, appreciate the beauty of the landscape in suburban/rural areas and people watch in urban places.

In the journey of life, do we insist on driving or do we let God take the wheel? It’s very easy to try and take control and say that after we get through a particular situation, then we’ll let God drive. Or we say we’re driving with His GPS, the Ten Commandments. But when we’re in control, how often do we allow the person joining our journey direction to merge in front of us? With God at the wheel, we can be sure to expect the unexpected. He may take us on roads we would never think of going, but as a passenger, why not sit back, relax and enjoy the view as well as His company. God wants to be behind the wheel so that we can truly see His creation around us. He’ll be there as we stop along the road to help someone, to share a meal, or just take in the world around us. When God is at the wheel, we are never alone, we will never get lost and we will never run out of gas.

 

The universal signal of surrender is waving a white flag, at least in battle. To those waving the white flag, it signifies a defeat, a failure to achieve a goal. In our spiritual battles, we are often encouraged to “surrender” to the will of God.  In doing so, are we admitting defeat?  Have we failed spiritually?

When we battle God, we are fighting so that our will be done, not His. Our actions reflect what we want. Sometimes it comes very easy and other times we wonder why we are struggling so hard. It may be a very simple thing that we want, but it feels like dozens of obstacles are in our way. If we wave our white flag in surrender and “let go and let God” as the saying goes, we may fail to achieve our will. But is that so bad? In this world our vision is limited to the moment; God sees our whole life. We think we can control our lives, but in reality, we can only control our response in the moment.

In this case, one easily made mistake is to think of surrender as giving up. If we do and feel we cannot control our lives then we just accept whatever comes our way in a passive, reactive mentality. Surrendering in this sense is not surrendering to God’s will and does not draw us any closer to Him. It also leaves us barren from accepting and acknowledging His tender care.

Surrendering to God’s will is a proactive choice that we make.  “Your heavenly Father knows all that you need. Seek first his kingship over you, his way of holiness, and all these things will be given you besides.” (Mt: 6:32-33) Sometimes His will is to allow difficulties in our lives. In accepting these difficulties, we choose to fight against complaining, self-pity and anger. If God has allowed us to be challenged, then we must lean on Him for support and strength. We offer our prayers and sufferings to Jesus, who adds them to His Passion. We use the opportunity to draw closer to Him.

If we give up, we also give up on God. We may not understand why trying experiences are in our life. However, if we surrender to God’s will by seeking it out, our gain is a closer relationship with God. “If God can clothe in such splendor the grass of the field, which blooms today and is thrown on the fire tomorrow, will he not provide much more for you.” (Mt 6:30)

The last time you looked into the mirror, did you recognize the miracle staring back at you?

Usually when I look into the mirror, my complaint is about my hair not being the way I like it, or some imperfection that catches my eye. I forget that God created me to be, well… me. He made me unique — inside and out. Every once in awhile I may actually be pleased with the way I look, but do I think to thank God in that moment?

Most of us are quick to complain when racked by the occasional aches and pains throughout our bodies. We are very good at voicing when things aren’t working properly; however when everything is functioning normally, we tend to forget what an amazing gift our bodies are.  

Have you ever paid attention to your breathing, just because you wanted to appreciate the ability to inhale and exhale? Have you ever wiggled your toes and feel them connect with earth? Have you ever been completely silent and just felt the pulse of life-giving blood flowing throughout your body to nourish each cell?

So how well, then, do you take care of this precious gift you’ve been given? Do you get enough sleep? Do you eat a balanced diet? Do you exercise? How many times do you give priority to your busy life and forget that you need to care for yourself?

God may have granted us a miracle in creating our being, but it is up to us to determine how we accept and treasure His gift.

Jesus prayed to the Father for His Apostles, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.” (John 17:15-16) We are both physical and spiritual creatures. As we strive for a spiritually closer relationship with God, let us thank Him first and foremost for the gift of ourselves. Let us also ask Him how we can best share this gift with others, for all gifts are meant to be shared. Is it by smiling to someone we don’t know? Is it giving a hug to friend who needs comfort, or is it sharing a meal with family? God put us in this world, not to be solely focused on the day-to-day, but to live in His family, caring for the miracles of each one around us.   

So the next time you look in the mirror, whether you’re satisfied with the reflection looking back at you or not, smile and thank God for the miracle of you. The beauty of God’s creation will then be reflected out to the world from you.

If God was the ocean, how well would you know Him?

For some, the sheer vastness of the ocean is so hard to comprehend. Instead of getting closer, they draw farther away trying to see all of it at once. Others may see glimpses between hills and trees. For those landlocked in their daily lives, they may never see or even think about the ocean at all.

Then there are those who want to experience the ocean. What does it feel like? What does it taste like? Can I go in it? Some may stop at the tide pools along the beach, just getting little experiences. Others will try and test the waters by walking in the gentle waves that lap against the shoreline; sometimes running away when the water seems to come in too deep. With more experience of the ocean and the waves, one can become a bit more confident and go in deeper: to the knees, then the waist and finally swimming.

Few souls are brave enough to answer the call to go deeper. What is below the surface? For those that suite up in scuba gear, a marvelous world will open up for them. They may try to describe it, they may take pictures, but they will never be able to truly pass that experience on to another.

I see the tide pool visitors as those who believe in God, but who only do what is “required,” like Mass on Sunday’s and holy days, confession once or twice a year and a few prayers when the occasion calls for it. Cracking open the Bible to read, attending a weekday Mass and praying morning and evening prayers are those getting their feet wet in the ocean of God. They experience Him in a personal way. Our faith may only ever call us to walk along the waterline. Or we may be called to walk in a little deeper. Saints, like Thomas Aquinas, who don the scuba gear, explore the depths of God, trying to bring us closer to Him with their writings and teachings.

I am fascinated with the idea of scuba diving, but the gear makes me claustrophobic. If God were the ocean, I wonder if I would be able to suit up appropriately, or would my fear hold me back from knowing Him more? Can I leave my comfort zone and put all my trust in Him to go deeper?

One very big difference between God and the ocean is the undertow. God will never force us under. He is the gentlest of oceans, constant in His love for us and calling us ever more to experience Him, personally.