Jan 14 - Strength Beyond Puny Efforts

With my whole heart I seek you; *
let me not stray from your commandments.
Psalm 119:10

...aware that more will be expected of one to whom more has been entrusted
Benedict's Rule 2:31a (Chittister, Pg 45)

We must each strive for the ideal and we must encourage others to strive with us, not because we ourselves are not weak but because knowing our own weaknesses and admitting them we can with great confidence teach trust in the God who watches with patience our puny efforts and our foolish failures.
Chittister, Pg 47

I start today with the first three sections of Psalm 119. I find comfort and wisdom within them. I could simply post the Psalm and we would learn much. I share with the Psalmist to seek the Lord with my whole heart, to not stray from the commandments. But Sister Joan Chittister's final line reflects the reality, the puny efforts and foolish failures that go along with my great desire.

I know I can't live up to the ideal of the Psalms, but I haven't stopped trying. I know that as I step forward and live the life where I have been entrusted with much, that much is expected of me. Today as I read these readings I gain strength. On good days I gain the strength to reach beyond where I have been. On many days I gain the strength only to not fall back. On some days I do fall back, gaining only the strength to start again tomorrow.

A Note To Anyone Reading:

This entry is part of a series that is developing as I read The Rule of Benedict, A Spirituality for the 21st Century, Joan Chittister, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading Ms. Chittister's book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule from the translation in this same book.
Psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church, 1979 unless otherwise noted.

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