What’s hard? What’s challenging? What’s frustrating? Not leading, not being “in charge”, not setting the pace. Thus far this Camino has been, for me, a time of learning to follow, to listen, to count cadence rather than set cadence. Rachel for the most part, and Sue sometimes, have served as our leaders, our guides, our pace setters. And I have spent the first five days of the Camino settling in and trying to not make the decisions as though I was the Officer in Charge.
In marking step after step and kilometer after kilometer, I have wondered how viewing myself as “being in charge” has frustrated the Holy Spirit. Let’s face it, we (that’s the royal we, most all of us) like to be in control, in charge, planning and doing…but in that role, I wonder if we more often offend God, the God of all Creation, by trying to be the god of our own lives?
Today the Camino was unrelenting…it was hot, long, barren of towns, and dusty. And during that journey, during each step of the way, I considered where God is in my life. I also considered the reality that in my life there are places where god (small “g” = me) is trying to be in control, places that are unlike the areas were God is involved…places where life is unrelenting, where the journey is hot, long, barren of life, and dusty.
I have some god slaying to do, some places in my life that God has been shut out of…what about you? Do you like to be in control, in charge, make all the decisions? Do you resist listening to, and following the cadence of Another?
Ultreya my friends!