I was reading an article recently which included a quote from Meister Eckhart, a famous 12th century mystic. I had never heard of him, but his words stirred something within me.
He wrote, “Nothing makes us true men and women but the giving up of our will. The only perfect and true will comes from entering into God’s will and being without self-will. The perfection of our will means being in harmony with the divine will by willing what God wills, and the way he wills it.”
There seems to be a lot of confusion about God’s will in modern Christianity. We pray for it. We seek it, but feel we are still in the dark. Giving up our own will seems scary because we still often wonder if God is trustworthy.
Eckhart claims, “God needs nothing more from us than a quiet heart. This is the true inner detachment: in it, the spirit (our spirit) stands immovable in the face of whatever befalls it, whether it is good or bad, honor or disgrace, just as a broad mountain stands immovable in the face of a little breeze.”
Do you know people like that? They do not need to be right. You see a deep inner strength surface as they deal with a disaster or quietly fill a need, walking in service to others. Perhaps you are surprised at the wisdom that pours forth when they finally speak.
I believe that strength comes from a life of spiritual detachment—not isolation from those around us, bur coming into harmony with God’s will and the way he wills it. Even Jesus distanced himself periodically to spend time alone in the Father’s presence.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35
Seek moments of spiritual detachment today.
Annette
Looking with New Eyes 