Keeping Our Center ~ 112

Good Morning!

Here’s a scary prayer from the works of Saint Teresa of Avila:  I am Yours and born for You. What do You want of me?

You’ve heard the saying, “Don’t ask the question if you don’t want to hear the answer.” Seems like this is one of those questions most of us probably don’t ask; because, really, do we want to know what God wants of us?

That sounds a little scary to me. I’m much more comfortable praying for healing for Josie, or strength for Arthur, or help for my own personal struggles. I’m not sure we want to know that God is asking more patience of us in a certain situation, or that we need to forgive someone who hurt us deeply, or that we need to suck it up and apologize for something, or that we need to step up and volunteer for the Hot Meal Program (which I still need help with by the way), or that we need to be nicer to and more understanding of people who vote differently than we do, or whatever.

I’d venture to say that most of our prayers, while not necessarily selfish, are focused around ourselves, our gratitude, our needs and the needs of those around us. And there is nothing wrong with these prayers, I’d just suggest that we spend a lot of time trying to get the Divine aligned with us, while this prayer of Teresa’s seeks to align us with the Divine.

What would happen if the next time we got angry we asked, “God, what do you want of me?” What would happen if the next time we were faced with a difficult decision or situation we prayed, “Holy One, what do you want of me?” What would happen if the next time we found ourselves stressed out and overwhelmed and we turned to Source for guidance by asking, “Essence of All That Is, what do you want of me?”

It’s a little less scary if we remember two things. We are the Beloved of God. Just as you wouldn’t ask something awful of your own child, neither would God ask us to do something like move to Timbuktu. Second, I believe that God only desires what is in our highest good and in the highest good of others.

Love & Light!

Kaye