The words of Jesus in today’s reflection from John’s Gospel challenge us to “always” try to please God by doing His will in our lives. But life at times seems to get in the way.
God understands the human condition and gives us sacred permission to be human, even in the face of our most important human and spiritual commitments. Being able always to do what pleases God is less about achieving perfection and more about surrender, mercy, and consistent, loving fidelity amidst human weakness.
Our lives are a marathon, not a sprint. That’s why it is good sometimes to have lengthy banquets and sometimes to simply grab a hot dog and run. God and nature permit us to sometimes say, “Let’s get it over with,” and sometimes to rush things to not miss the beginning of the game.
The same holds true for a family meal together. You don’t necessarily go to dinner with your family each night with enthusiasm. You go because this is how families sustain their common life. There will be times when you do come with high energy and appreciate both the preciousness of the moment and the length of the dinner. But there will be other times when, despite a deeper awareness that being together in this way is important, you will be wanting to get this over with, or sneaking glances at your watch and calculating what time the game starts.
So, scripture advises, avoid Job’s friends. For spiritual advice in this area, avoid the spiritual novice, the over-pious, the anthropologically naïve, the couple on their honeymoon, the recent convert, and at least half of all liturgists and worship leaders. The true manual on marriage is never written by a couple on their honeymoon, and the true manual on prayer is never written by someone who believes that we should be on a high all the time. Find a spiritual mentor who challenges you enough to keep you from selfishness and laziness, even as she or he gives you divine permission to be tired sometimes. A woman or man at prayer is equally pleasing to God, enthusiastic or tired – perhaps even more when tired.
God is often experienced as a “quiet, gentle nudge” beneath the surface of our lives. Following this call—even when there is “affective resistance”—is a deeply life-giving decision. We please God by bringing our weak, messy selves before him to be loved, rather than trying to perfect ourselves first. [Excerpt from Ron Rolheiser’s “Divine Permission for Human Fatigue,” September 2023]
