By Rev. Mary Farmer
By the time you read this, we will all be back to the ‘new’ normal rhythm in our church communities, at least for the moment.
Each of us will have chosen those things we will continue in our lives, even if they have taken on a different shape. We may also have chosen to let go of some things. I have been thinking about those things since the concept of ‘restart’ was introduced as part in the AFP article in September, as part of the rhythm of the year.
I was part of a group recently that was discussing discernment, and its role and place in our lives. In our spiritual lives, we seek to see where the Holy Spirit is leading us, and to deepen our relationship with the Divine. In our personal lives, every decision we make involves listening for wisdom and guidance through prayer and from those we trust; we seek out information; we weigh the information, we have and then we plan a direction.
At times in the busyness of our lives, seeking and listening for the leading of the Spirit can become less of a priority than dealing with the ever-present fires that need to be attended to. It is in those moments that we are most in need of wisdom and guidance.
The personal rhythm of prayer we develop and practice opens our hearts. It allows us to enter into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Divine centre of our being.
As we seek the path to which we are called, we need to listen closely.
This can be a challenge when things are swirling about. Not everyone is able to observe the rhythm of the daily church offices, but each of us is able to develop a realistic pattern of prayer that reflects and fits into the lives we lead.
What works is not universal… and that’s okay. When the pattern of being present and listening for what the Spirit is saying becomes part of the pattern of your day, there are always surprises in store!
The wisdom of children never ceases to amaze me. To say I am technologically challenged is an understatement. Recently when we were chatting about one of my challenges, my five-year-old grandson said to me, “don’t worry Gramma, we’ll figure it out together”.
That’s exactly what discernment is… figuring it out, with God’s help.
Rev. Mary Farmer is an AFP Huron Executive.