I was reading an article earlier today that I can certainly relate to. For those of you who have ever been in the practice of journaling, you could probably understand. The author mentioned how starting a new journal can be a bit of a daunting task. You’ve got all of these blank pages that are waiting for new things to be written, pages that represent a new era of life, and perhaps a new beginning.
However, the first page, and what we write on it, can feel a bit overwhelming. We typically want to start out with something profound, where should the journal ever be picked up one day by a great-great-great grandchild, we want to immediately impress them with the ancient wisdom of their ancestor; thus, the first page better be good, or otherwise, they won’t read the rest!
Maybe you have started a new journal for the year. Perhaps you have already experienced what I speak of. Or, like some, we’d just prefer not to start a journal if it’s that daunting of a task!
But whether you journal or not, that’s not the point. The author goes on to share how he stared at the blank first page of his journal, and then quietly asked God the question, “What needs to go here?” God responds, “My love.”(Oh, if God would speak in such ways to most of us, right?). The author presses further, “What else, Lord?” God answers, “Believe my love.”
The most profound thing we can begin with each day is the belief that we are loved – more than we can imagine, more than we deserve, more than we are capable of loving ourselves. We are loved by a Heavenly Father who knows all and sees all, and recklessly and relentlessly pursues us with His love, not despite us, not because of what we’ve done nor will do, but simply because of who we are.
What difference would it make if you could consistently walk in this awareness each day? Regardless of what your goals and ambitions are for 2018, what if we all made “living in the awareness of God’s love” a daily goal?
The results would be profound.
A Contemplative Life 