Being the Beloved:
stories of ongoing transformation in daily life
By Marsha Crockett, Spiritual Director
A devoted commitment to knowing God, self, and others requires what Eugene Peterson called “a long obedience in the same direction” in his book by the same title. I like this phrase because it speaks to the reality that is abiding. Our journey through life with God never ends and always begins. This is the Alpha and Omega of the eternal Christ who orchestrates the evolutions of faith moment by moment, day by day. And it is the work of the abiding Spirit within that continues to lead us on this sacred path.
The spiritual life may be personal, but it is a journey we never walk alone. Always God invites us to journey with others. In the Celtic tradition, that trusted individual who travels the spiritual path with another is called anam cara or “soul friend,” someone with whom you share your inner being, your mind, and your heart; someone who listens without judgements and welcomes you with the hospitality of grace.
A regular commitment to abiding with others, for me, has taken many forms. I have a handful of women I would consider my anam cara. We share a sacred friendship even though we don’t see one another regularly. I also abide within a faith community, where I may not know everyone deeply, but we share a commitment to practice our faith expressions together in worship. I typically also connect with a small group within that faith community where we can further explore our journey together and learn from each other. And finally, I have met monthly for nearly two decades for one-on-one conversation with a spiritual director who helps me attune to all that God invites me into in my everyday life.
Abiding together calls us to devote our lives to that long obedience and the slow work of knowing God and knowing ourselves even when we don’t perceive progress. It is building a spiritual history together over the weeks, months, and years. Paying attention to the on-going new mercies and faithfulness of God, never gets old. This “tending the Holy” by regular habits of abiding with others has the potential to utterly transform a life not only today, but even as we set out on a new path tomorrow.
For Your Reflection: Take an inventory of those in your life who are faithful to you and your spiritual journey. What does that inventory reveal to you about what you have and what you need in the way of an abiding soul friendship? How are you that faithful friend who abides with others? Thank God for those who have met you along the path of life. What do you need or long for to deepen your ability to abide with God, with self and with others?
Bio: Marsha Crockett has been a spiritual director for the past twelve years and is the author of Speak my Soul: Listening to the Divine with Holy Purpose (from which this article was adapted) as well as Sacred Conversations: Exploring the Seven Paths of Spiritual Direction. For more information about Marsha’s “Soul Talk” ministry visit www.marshacrockett.org or email her at marsha@marshacrockett.org
Image: Photo by Aaron Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash
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