God's more-than-enough

Psalm 4:5-7 Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God's more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees.

The lack of satisfaction people feel in their lives, the constant hunger for more, all the addictive process we see in our society -- whether it's food, substances, sex, gambling, shopping, whatever--I believe is a spiritual problem. When Mother Theresa came to the US she saw a nation rich in material ways but suffering from spiritual poverty. The good news is that if that spiritual poverty is recognized for what it is, one can take up the spiritual path, seek and find spiritual sustenance to satisfy that gnawing hunger. I believe that's part of what Jesus meant when he said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The bad news is that if that too often people don't see that as the problem and keep pursuing what hasn't satisfied them yet -- a new job, more stuff, a new partner. Sometimes, a new job or partner, the right one, can make a big difference, but usually only when we recognize the limitations of these things in providing happiness, when we see them in their proper perspective.

I think this is another way of saying that the spiritual life is not about some esoteric or exotic level of achievement that is available only to the highly evolved or theologically sophisticated. Ask any committed 12-Stepper, and they'll tell you that the spiritual life is precisely for all of us ordinary folks, helping us live the real lives that we have. I can't say that I've attained the level of spiritual enlightenment where every moment is unmitigated joy, but I can say that when I engage in my spiritual practices and cultivate the spiritual perspective and understanding of life, my heart is filled with peace and joy and I greet each day as a sacred adventure rather than as an ordeal that I have to somehow get through.

Prayer: Dear God, I've been away for a bit and have let go of some of the practices that nurture me in my relationship with You. Let me take this time to re-invigorate my spiritual life and to draw closer to Your plan for me. Amen.