Living Every Day in God

Deepening one’s spiritual fervour

The spiritual life consists in seeking the face of God: ‘I seek your face, O Lord’ (Ps 27:8). For love to remain fervent, it always needs fresh inspiration. One of the greatest dangers in our Christian lives is not merely a lack of conversion, but the fact that those who have been converted often lose momentum in their spiritual life and fall back into old ways. Yet if Christians were to persevere and grow, the Church would be more fervent. We often run the risk of simply ceasing to commit certain sins and feeling a sense of satisfaction by comparing ourselves with others. In doing so, we forget that from those to whom much has been given, much will be required. Am I living up to what I know? Am I living up to what I have already received? A two-hundred-litre barrel containing only ten litres of water will be almost empty compared to its capacity. Hence the need to ask God for forgiveness for not making full use of our abilities.

Lack of spiritual fervour

One of the greatest dangers in our friendship with God is a lack of fervour and a lack of zeal, says Pope Paul VI (Evangelii nuntiendi). It is like a lamp running out of oil: it gradually dims and then goes out. This lack of enthusiasm is dangerous because it comes from within, like a broken engine or a sick heart. It manifests itself as a heaviness and a difficulty in keeping one’s spiritual promises, spiritual laziness, a lack of interest in spiritual activities, unwarranted criticism and misjudgements of the Church, feelings of superiority over others, and a lack of commitment and effort to live out the Word and pursue holiness. We thus see active members or committed Christians who no longer live out the Word of God.

Taking each day seriously

The day is a unit of life. A year, a lifetime, consists solely of a succession of days. If I live my days well, I will live my life better. Yet there are days we put on hold, urgent matters we put off until later. Yet every day is an ideal day to love Jesus. Every moment is a good time to grow in holiness. Is it not a common sin to neglect certain days and certain moments? We may be tempted to think: ‘If only I had this, it would help me so much to love God. As I don’t have it, God understands my lukewarm attitude’; ‘If only I were like this, God himself would see what I would do for him’; ‘if only he (she) weren’t like that, I would love him (her) so much and forgive him (her)’; ‘if she changed, Jesus would be pleased with what I would do for her’. We must not wait for situations to improve before we can feel a fervour of love for God. God wants us to love him right here in the very situation we are living through, in this relationship, every day of our lives. ‘Serve the Lord with unwavering zeal and a fervent spirit’ (Romans 12:11). Lent is a time that should help us draw closer to God.

Faithfulness in fervour

Sometimes we find ourselves full of enthusiasm one day, making decisions to serve God and striving to please him. The next day, perhaps because of a single thought, we feel as deflated as a burst balloon. Where, then, is the faithfulness that is essential to all love? No one tolerates unfaithfulness from the one they love. Let us regularly ask God for forgiveness for all our unfaithfulness during Lent, striving to be faithful to Him in our fervour. To ensure the fire does not go out, we must stoke it. In the Song of Songs, the beloved seeks the one she loves. When we feel far from Jesus, let us seek him with all our heart. Holy Scripture promises us that if we seek God, we shall find him. We must even suffer in order to seek him. We suffer so much in our pursuit of the many things of this world. Do we suffer just as much in seeking the face of God? The devil’s great temptation is to discourage and deflate the fervent. ‘Make every effort to confirm your calling and election’ (2 Peter 1:10). Hence the need, every morning throughout Lent, to immerse ourselves once more in our vocation and mission.

Henri Bayemi