Gentle Movements

Consider back 10 years ago and reflect on some of the major changes that have taken place in your life. If you were able to ask that younger self where they thought they’d be 10 years down the road, do you think you could imagine you’d be where you are today. As I consider where I was 10 years ago, there is no way I’d imagine my life would be where it is but that’s definitely not bad. But that got me to think more and more that as much as I like to think I’m in control of my life and how the day to day decisions I make are my own, there’s so much outside of my control, too.
And I’m a huge proponent of personal choice and responsibility, and I know that both good and bad decisions have led me through the last 10 years, I also know that circumstances, other people’s choices and other factors have dictated the outcome of my life. I imagine you could say something similar yourself. And we can’t do much about those extenuating circumstances, which can be scary, but I also trust that God has a huge part to play in how our lives unfold as well.
And that may mean he is helping orchestrate our lives to come to a final outcome, which I’m not completely against. We see in the Bible how he orchestrates and works in our world regularly to accomplish his will. However, God also gives us our own choice within that work. Somehow he’s able to accomplish his will and still allow us to have our free will.
And so, as we reflect on the changes over the last 10 years, taking into account our own choices, other’s choices and God’s work, how does it all fit together? How much of our lives do we really have control over? Henri Nouwen writes, “While so busy running my own life, I become oblivious to the gentle movements of the Spirit of God within me, pointing me in directions quite different from my own.”
And, for me, that’s the key. I truly believe that God can and does lead us through gentle movements within us. And though we may be unaware of those at times, the more and more we open ourselves to those gentle leadings, the more and more we can become aware of them but also the more and more we can be directed by them.
Nouwen also writes, “It requires a lot of inner solitude and silence to become aware of these divine movements. The Spirit of God is soft and gentle like a small voice or a light breeze. It is the Spirit of Love.” God’s leading and movement is always done in love, which means he will always bring us to a place filled with him. I pray we trust these movements. God bless.