Recalibration
Reflective Thoughts from Hearts on Fire
Complex Beauty
I love a beautiful park, don’t you? Towering trees in the woods. The gurgling of a stream. The rhythmic roar of the surf. The aroma of pine trees in the mountains or tulips in the garden. Ahhhh.
And what else do most parks have? A trash can. A garbage receptacle. It dawned on me one dawn that even the beautiful places have some messiness involved. Will I care for the messy part, metaphorically sorting my no-longer-needed ‘trash’ in my life? Or do I let the garbage blow everywhere and contaminate too much of the beautiful in my life?
I believe our good God gives us this beautiful life. Dealing with the refuse and letting it go appropriately is one of the invitations of life. (Is such letting go a part of sanctification?) And when I do let go, life gets lighter, freer, easier. It’s easier then to live in more of the love of God.
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1 NRSV
I’m tackling some of my trash, with God’s help. And when we listen well to others or accompany them in life and ministry, perhaps we are privileged to witness them take out some trash as well.
Amid the beauty, there is often some messy. How open to it am I willing to be today?
Rev. Brian Hardesty-Crouch
HeartPathsDFW.com
Rev. Brian Hardesty-Crouch, Duke Divinity School and Director, HeartPathsDFW.com. Offering growth in prayer as well as training and online supervision groups for spiritual directors.
These reflections represent the view of the author.
Hearts On Fire Retreat
July 17-20, 2023
@ Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center
near Atlanta, GA
Hearts on Fire for a World on Fire:
Spiritual Direction and Social Transformation
with Rev. Daniel Wolpert