Discipline as "potential energy" ?

Some field notes on the devoted life and desire

Dec 01, 2023

∙ Paid

Hi everyone,

I’ve been giving some thought (as I read and listen) to the idea of spiritual formation as it applies to discipline (training). Or, being a student of Jesus or this world in the best way possible.

It seems that for the effort we put forth to concentrate or to be disciplined in the devoted life (or for that matter any meaningful aim or goal worth trying) we culminate our power in what could be described as “potential energy”.

Later it comes into the kinetic energy in the immaterial world—in the life of prayer or the interior world, so long as one continues in the path of humility. (Without that, we miss a lot of the plot.)

It seems it is the same with the control of desire or anger. To have power over such things is to store up and kind of potential energy lest such things exert power over us. The ability to not repress desire and anger but instead to aptly manage, tolerate, or hold both begins to obtain unexpected and maybe unintended dividends.

So many times we have habits of using God as a product to have a good life.

Perhaps with our prayers. Maybe with our good acts or behavior. Or perhaps with religious efforts. But, all of this is lifeless religion—not a living spirituality that gives fulfillment or a sense of wholeness. It can’t ease our suffering or add meaning to our days.

Therefore! Let all our various energies, desires, and restlessness, be channeled into one combining current that is focused toward loving God for whom is the beginning and the end of all legitimate and life-giving desire and goodness.

Let us want God for the sake of God, not for our sake or our interests…

…because when we ask for our interests, we attempt to somehow exert our control on the will of God.

And how strange, because we claim that God knows what is best for us. And even when we get what we ask for it will never truly come or end up as we thought it would. We don’t ever see clearly enough to pick best for ourselves.

So we cast our cares, concerns, and worries into the arms of God without prerequisites of how it all should work out for us and those we love. In this way, we leave the working out of it to the One who loves us and is Love itself.

That’s all for now. 🙂

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