Timers out? Ready, set, GO!
We naturally desire the good things in life. God made these gifts for us to enjoy. However our desire for these gifts such as sex, food, wine, a house on the hill, a fast car gradually pull us away from the creator of those gifts. The gifts / objects in our life and not God are what ultimately define us as human beings.
St. Augustine wrote a number of amazing things. One of them was that humans often have an “immoderate liking for things” which re-order our priorities in life. Do you want to know if you have an immoderate liking for things? The acid test is this. Think of a “thing” you enjoy. Have it in your mind? Great. Now can you let go of it? Can you walk away from it forever and still be “OK”?
That twinge of anxiety at the thought of giving up an earthly delight demonstrates the continual battle between our physical nature and our spiritual nature. It’s call concupiscence. We need to be keenly aware of its existence and effect on us.
Concupiscence darkens are intellect so it is not feeding the will. Our will is weakened and the desires of our flesh become disordered because the soul is no longer governing the body as it should.
So, do you want to move from a perpetual restlessness to a peace filled joy?
Are you ready? Here goes.
“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” ― Augustine of Hippo, The Confessions of Saint Augustine
What St. Augustine is saying is to re-order your life back to the way it was designed to be lived. Start living an integrated life by putting God in the middle of everything and I mean everything you do 24/7. Only then will you start to discover and live a joy filled life.
Try it. You’ll like it!
For more information read Dr. Scott Hahn’s book Lord, Have Mercy. Chapter 6
