Hey there! I’ve been thinking about something that really resonates with me as a pastor, and I wanted to share it with you. It’s about a powerful idea from Henri Nouwen that I think could be a game-changer for all of us.
You know how we’re always caught up in this cycle of trying to succeed and avoid failure? It can be exhausting, right? Well, Nouwen reminds us that our relationship with Jesus goes way beyond that. He says, “Jesus is… much more than a story. He is a source of life and is truly able to touch you deeply so that you can go beyond the success-failure syndrome.”
Now, as someone who’s been in ministry for a while, I’ve seen firsthand how easy it is to get caught up in measuring our worth by our accomplishments or setbacks. But Nouwen talks about this idea of “holy indifference” – it’s not about not caring, but about finding this amazing sense of peace and security in God’s love, regardless of what’s happening around us.
I remember when I first moved to South Haven with Kristen and Lorelai. There were so many uncertainties, so many things that could have gone wrong (or right). But I found that leaning into my faith, really trusting in Jesus, helped me navigate those changes with a sense of calm I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Nouwen emphasizes the importance of prayer in this process. He mentions the Prayer of St. Francis, but in our Lutheran tradition, we have so many beautiful prayers and liturgies that can help us connect with God. When we let these words sink deep into our hearts, something shifts inside us.
You know, sometimes after a long day of pastoral visits or preparing sermons, I’ll sit quietly with a prayer or a passage from Scripture. It’s amazing how those moments can ground me, reminding me that my worth isn’t in how well my sermon was received or how many people I visited, but in God’s unchanging love for me.
So here’s what I’m thinking – what if we all took a few minutes each day to just be still with God? Maybe it’s reading a Psalm, saying the Lord’s Prayer, or just sitting in silence. It doesn’t have to be long or complicated. But I bet if we did this, we might start to feel that sense of peace and security that Nouwen talks about, even when life gets crazy.
I’ve seen this work in my own life, in my family, and in our church community here in South Haven. When we anchor ourselves in Jesus’ love, it changes how we see success and failure. We can celebrate the wins without letting them inflate our ego, and we can face the tough times without feeling crushed.
So, what do you think? Want to give it a try? Let’s challenge ourselves to find those moments of connection with God each day. I have a feeling it might just change everything.
