Be Still in the Midst of the Frenzy
To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone and everything is to succumb to violence. More than that, it is cooperation in violence. The frenzy of the activist neutralizes his work for peace. It destroys his own inner capacity for peace. It destroys the fruitfulness of his own work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful. — Thomas Merton in Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander
I would say that Merton is speaking to more than the activists. It has always been tempting as a pastor and retired military chaplain to overcommit and to stretch myself too thin. This isn’t necessarily the purview of those who are religious leaders. It is the purview of every one of us. In our efforts to prove that we are valuable and indispensable, we run the risk of damaging our heart and our soul.
Lord, help me to take sacred pauses throughout the day. May I take moments to simply be still in your presence. This is my own prayer and my prayer for you, dear reader.
Pastor Michael Moore's Blog 
May the peace of God that passes all understanding rest upon you and all those reading this post today.
Amen and thank you, Sophia
Well I don’t normally check out the posts on the GodspaceLight FB but I am so glad that I did today. This ” In our efforts to prove that we are valuable and indispensable” is something I am grappling with at the moment, and coming to realise that I need to stop proving. Thank you so much for this X
Thanks for your response!
oh, yea this is so true, and it’s amazing for at least me, to constantly allow myself to be stretched all too often. I spend more time now reflecting on all those paths I took in my earning years. And now that I am in my returning years trying to help others avoid those paths. I view life in thirds. The first is formal learning, the second is earning, and the third is returning, giving back, and helping to bring change through a glimpse of wisdom.
Thank you for your thoughtful reflection, Richard.
This post is a valuable reminder for many of us….myself included. Thank you!
Amen
Indeed ❤️