Sometimes, as we walk along on life’s journey, we come to a
fork in the road. A decision needs to be
made, a choice to go one way or the other. Important, life-changing decisions can be the
most difficult because we know they will alter the course of our lives and take
us in a new direction.
Personally, I have a hard time making decisions - I tend to
overthink things, weighing all the possibilities, sometimes ending up “spinning
my wheels” and doing nothing. While not
making an impulsive decision is often a wise choice, too much waiting may cause
the door of opportunity to close.
I’m sure I’m not alone in preferring to stay in my comfort
zone, not wanting to make changes that are too drastic or life altering. But as a spiritual being, I also know that it
is important to move out of routine and familiarity from time to time in order
to grow and become stronger.
So the questions become:
“how do we know
whether to stay where we are or move forward on a new path?”, “when we have multiple options, how do we choose the best
one?”, “how do we ask for and trust in God’s guidance?”
I have found that it’s important first to seek
stillness. When my mind is too busy
trying to determine all the potential outcomes, I can become overwhelmed and anxious. To seek stillness is to “go into the desert”,
metaphorically speaking and to find that quiet place of no distraction, as
spiritual leaders throughout the ages have done.
Since I have visited the desert of New Mexico recently, it
is easy for me to visualize the silent beauty of wide open spaces . Let’s take a moment for a “desert meditation”:
Close your eyes and focus on the flow of your
breath…. imagine you are sitting on a rock overlooking a wide canyon as the sun
sets over the mountains…before you is a vista of red rock, sand and fragrant
desert plants that seem to glow in the deepening pink of the sky…an expanse of
land without boundaries…a deep silence that fills your soul. Breathe in and out, deeply and slowly,
repeating “Be still” as a mantra, until you feel the light at your center. Thank God for the Light, ask for guidance and
truth; and trust what is now revealed in your heart.
Some decisions may be easier than others - an abusive
relationship or a demeaning job, when examined in the silent meditation, feel
very wrong in our hearts and the need for change may seem obvious. The answers to other decisions may not be
revealed immediately, but we may feel a gentle nudging to go one way or the
other. If we are seeking Divine guidance,
silencing our mental chatter and truly listening with our hearts, I believe
that we can trust that gentle nudge about a situation and take steps by faith.
Be still, seek, trust....
