“In our utilitarian culture, where we suffer from a collective compulsion to do something practical, helpful, or useful, and where we feel compelled to make a contribution that can give us a sense of worth, contemplative prayer is a form of radical criticism. It is not useful or practical. It is simply to waste time for and with God. It cuts a hole in our busyness and reminds us and others that it is God and not we who creates and sustains the world.” – Henri Nouwen
Our attention span is broken. Coupled with the modern obsession with “busyness” and getting things done, we are being slowly squeezed into a cultural mold that leaves our soul’s dry and emaciated. In order to emancipate our soul, the answer is neither to “work harder” or do more of anything. In fact, if the Contemplative path is about anything, it is learning to stop what we are doing so that we can become more aware of what God is saying and doing both within and around us.
Even the latest scientific research is conclusive – we are in a crises of attention. Increasingly, we are seeing that to survive this present age with soul intact, the modern Christian must become someone who can:
- Learn how to tune out the world and tune into the Spirit no matter what is happening around them. Our attention is our greatest commodity and sets the course and quality of our lives, but only we can choose what to invest it in.
- Embrace the uncertainty and mystery of our faith even when faced by the voices of fear and hopelessness in the world. Fear can hijack our minds in an instant, but learning how to quiet one’s soul and rest in God is the practiced, learned behavior of trust .
- Intentionally set the personal limits and boundaries that will protect both their chosen community and their own spiritual growth. Being busy and having more of everything is seen as a sign of personal success in our society, but it corrodes our joy even as it robs us of precious time with the people that matter most.
- Choose to take the path of Christ and His Cross even when the worldly voices of influencers and politicians seem more “powerful.” Believing that Jesus’ way of getting things done really is the better way has very real consequences on who we choose to listen to and the kinds of advice we will follow.
- Rediscover the ancient pathways through the wilderness along with other faithful travelers. We do not find safe passage on our own, nor do we learn how to avoid the traps and snares in isolation. The Contemplative path cannot be done effectively without others to show us the way and to help carry us when our souls are weary.
We must recall that the path Jesus has called us upon is not one driven by our self-effort or will power, but by surrender and grace. The contemplative life is one of relentlessly evaluating what is taking up space within us and squeezing out our capacity to fall helplessly into the grace God has given us.
We would do well to evaluate what we should give up to the Lord in order to leave space in our soul for Christ, and avoid the temptation to add a new spiritual practice onto an already overloaded heart and mind. Spend some time alone in simple prayer and humbly ask God what needs to be simplified or emptied out of your life.