I read The Way of the Heart this week by Henri Nouwen. I have often read books that cite Henri Nouwen but this was the first volume of his that I read. It’s not well known, I understand, as he was a prolific writer with many popular titles. And it’s no wonder to me now that he is considered one of our great modern writers of the faith. It’s a slim volume but carries a lot of weight. I read it straight through and then had to go back and chew on it, over and over again.
The ability to rest and truly abide in the grace and presence of God, in the “unforced rhythms” of grace has preoccupied me for a lot of this year. It’s something I’m learning…the hard way. I have been meditating and praying and living in this space of being good at waiting (not my strong point), of learning that faith and patience must go together, of learning to quiet the noise of the world even in my own soul.
I read this paragraph about of Matthew 11:28 months ago and, to be honest, it hasn’t left me since. I’ve been “camped here” – emotionally, spiritually and sometimes it feels physically – for months now.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” – Jesus
My husband mentioned that this book might be helpful as he read it a few years ago and tapped into something deeper through the practices described here. So I have had it close by for months now, knowing that when I did read it, I’d have to change … therefore delaying it as long as possible. Now I feel accountable to what I know. And I yearn for this peace of being alone with God, listening to God and abiding in the presence of God. Not just for the state of my own soul but so that I can be transformed.
Using Scripture and the writings of the Desert Fathers & Mothers, Nouwen writes about the simplest and oldest practices of Christianity – solitude, silence and prayer. He writes specifically to those in ministry about how easily we have become wound up in the modern trappings of our society until we are who we hang around with, we are how we position ourselves and we are what we do/produce. It’s gentle expose of how we have bought into worldliness, even in Christian ministry. It’s a simple and genuine book.
There isn’t much pop culture here. Just quietness and a path to peace that has been walked by our brothers and sisters for years.
Solitude is not simply withdrawing and being alone, but being alone with God. Silence does not mean abstaining from speaking but listening to God. In short, “solitude and silence are the context within which prayer is practiced” (Way of the Heart, p. 69).
I have to admit that I suck at almost all three of these mainly because I think I occasionally have missed the point of them. I’ve thought of solitude as “me time”, of silence as “not talking” and prayer as me talking to God or about God.
The thing that stays with me is that these practices aren’t an end in and of themselves. But rather that because we have learned solitude, silence and prayer, we are becoming compassionate people, full of love for others, able to minister fully and abide in the Father. It’s part of being transformed. I remember hearing Brian often say that God doesn’t want us to try harder to love people, he wants us to truly love them (Romans 12). I find the “trying” almost easier. Who cares if its exhausting? At least I’m getting it done. This pause in the frenetic pace, this practice or discipline of retreat even in the midst of toddlers, suppers, broken computers and lack of direction can transform.
I feel like I may have been lead here by God.
