I’ve been reading, “The Sermon on the Mount: The Key to Success,” by Emmet Fox, published in 1934, and renewed by HarperColins in 1989. Today the book offered this little gem, “Handle your problems spiritually.” Sounds so obvious. That’s what we people of faith do. Or do we? I realize that without even being aware of it, I slip into categorizing my problems; those I give to God and those I decide to solve myself.
Spending so much time at the cottage make this duality particularly apparent. Here, accompanied by the sunrise, I center myself with God; on the beach, I walk and talk with God; at twilight I give thanks to God. Although I do email, I don’t watch TV and rarely do I talk on the phone or see anyone. God handles my problems with ease—my ease that is.
On the other hand, when I’m home, leading the usual everyday life that most of us experience, I push God to the side--not consciously of course. It’s just that my analytic, problem solving mind, in excellent shape and fine tuned from years of experience, takes over. I act like the sole player of a professional sport’s team out to win the championship.
I like to think that this time at the cottage by the sea is helping me play full time on God’s team; I believe it is. I am aware that the time here is a blessing, a gift from God. But switching teams doesn’t have to take all the sunrises that I experience, although a few days in solitude sure do help us handle our problems spiritually. Thus, my prayer is that people reading my blogs will be blessed with their own sunrises, beaches and twilights. Making time and finding the right space is a great way to start handling your problems spiritually. It can be done: ask God.
Spending so much time at the cottage make this duality particularly apparent. Here, accompanied by the sunrise, I center myself with God; on the beach, I walk and talk with God; at twilight I give thanks to God. Although I do email, I don’t watch TV and rarely do I talk on the phone or see anyone. God handles my problems with ease—my ease that is.
On the other hand, when I’m home, leading the usual everyday life that most of us experience, I push God to the side--not consciously of course. It’s just that my analytic, problem solving mind, in excellent shape and fine tuned from years of experience, takes over. I act like the sole player of a professional sport’s team out to win the championship.
I like to think that this time at the cottage by the sea is helping me play full time on God’s team; I believe it is. I am aware that the time here is a blessing, a gift from God. But switching teams doesn’t have to take all the sunrises that I experience, although a few days in solitude sure do help us handle our problems spiritually. Thus, my prayer is that people reading my blogs will be blessed with their own sunrises, beaches and twilights. Making time and finding the right space is a great way to start handling your problems spiritually. It can be done: ask God.
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