The Box

A week ago I prepared to begin my annual retreat. I was less than enthusiastic and was actually dragging my feet. I had low expectations and had expressed these to anyone who asked me if I was looking forward to my retreat time. Looking back, I was acting like a spoiled baby who was not getting her own way. The reason for this was because I was going to a new place for retreat – the place that I loved, the place by the beach, the place with the sunrises and sunsets, with the big porches and rocking chairs, was closed so I had to find a new place this year. The only plus, at least in my estimation, was that my long-time spiritual director was going to be with me and I was looking forward to seeing her in person again.

I brought work with me to do, I brought books with me to read, I brought computer games to play – I just knew that I was going to need all of this because this retreat was not going to be as good as my other ones – because I was going to a new place.

Here is breaking news: God does not like to be boxed in by my low expectations – God does not like being limited – God does not like that I was not willing to be awed and wowed by his working in this place – by God working in the silence – by God working through the beauty of nature – by God working through my director – by God working in me.

God has blessed me during these days with time, peace, God’s presence and explicit messages. I have marveled at how he has drawn me to the small, simple chapel that is in the house where I am staying. I have been breathless at how God has joked and winked, how God has challenged and nudged, how God has loved and revealed himself. And it all happened not at the place where I wanted to be but at the place where God is – where God called me – where God lives and loves – wherever we open our hearts up to him – wherever we make ourselves available to him, there God will be.

Do Not Box God In! God wants to be The God of Your Everything.