Hajja Salesjana July-September 2022

visual clutter, why not begin by decluttering and simplifying? Create a sacred space, and use it.  Daily. In our Information Age, it’s crucial that we schedule time for solitude: reflection, supplication, and most especially listening to God with our hearts. God does not speak to us in the thunder or the rustling wind. He speaks to us softly, sometimes barely audibly. And I believe the purpose for this is so that we discipline ourselves to pause, listen, and wait for His response. And He will respond if we do this. Stop Planning Every Minute of Your Day This suggestion seems contrary to the first one, doesn’t it?  Actually, it’s not.  I’ve found that, while it’s vital to discern the pattern – the rhythm – of our day that keeps us grounded, focused, and centered, it’s equally important to allow ample time for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. The Holy Spirit moves fluidly and often unexpectedly.  If we have every task stuffed into an itemized, digital list in our technological calendars, how can we possibly invite the movement of the Holy Spirit into our hearts? Photo by Patti Brito - www.unsplash.com I realize this is more or less an obvious point, yet few of us actually implement the concept into a daily reality. I’m often traveling from one medical appointment to the next for my daughter, Sarah, so I live on an intense time table (which I loathe). If my mind is fretting about whether I will be punctual for the next therapy session or consultation with a specialist, I lose the opportunity to hear, acknowledge, and respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting in my heart. But on the days I somehow step aside from that mentality, I hear God speak resoundingly in ways I could never conjure on my own.  He often asks me to do or say something quite radical and certainly outside of my natural environment or comfort zone. But the fruits of such actions are always rich and enlivening, and my entire being is flooded with the “peace that surpasses all understanding”. When I notice these providential encounters and the results of such, I am more apt to momentarily stop throughout each day and regroup so that I can respond to the Lord, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Photo by by Thomas Bennie - www.unsplash.com 7 Lulju - Settembru 2022 hajja