Over the past few months, I've been reading a great little devotional book put together by Peter Scazzero, "Begin the Journey with the Daily Office."  It's a great resource, giving a short scripture to reflect on, a few thoughts and maybe a poem or quote.  This morning's devotional was especially good, so thought I'd share a portion.

Devotional:

The image of the Christian life as a journey captures our experience of following Jesus like few others.  Journeys involve movement, actions, stops and starts, detours, delays, and trips into the unknown.  God called Abraham to leave his comfortable life in Ur at the age of seventy-five and to embark on a long, slow journey; a journey with God that would require much patient trust.

"Patient Trust" by Pierre Teilhard De Chardin

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.  We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. 

We should like to skip the intermediate stages.  We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.

And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability - and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you; your ideas mature gradually - let them grow, let them shape themselves without undue haste.

Don't try to force them on, as though you could be today what time (that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will) will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be.  Give our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you.  And accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.

Question to Consider:

What does it mean for you to trust in the slow work of God today?

Prayer

Grant me courage, Father, to embark on the unique journey you have crafted for me.  By faith, I surrender my need and desire to be in control of every event, circumstance, person that I meet today.  In Jesus' name, amen.