Being Born from Above

In today’s Gospel, John 3: 7b-15, Jesus tells Nicodemus that he “must be born from above,” that “the wind blows where it wills,” that we “do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Furthermore, Jesus reminds us in this Gospel that  “just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” 

I looked upon this passage in light of my experience of having little or no energy on some days and then again having a surge of energy.  Being the person that I am, I have a very difficult time not having the energy which I need to accomplish what I want to accomplish on a given day. I entered into the following conversation with my mother, who is in heaven:

Mom, this lack of energy is getting to me. But I am ashamed of complaining about it. Look at what you endured with your cancer.

Dort (the name I was called as a child), I understand your complaint. It is difficult to not have the energy you want in order to do what you feel called to do. Be patient and compassionate toward yourself. Cultivating these virtues is significant in living as Jesus lived, that is, saying “yes” to God’s will in accepting circumstances beyond your control.  It is not about what you accomplish or how productive you are that matters in life. It is the interior life of faith that matters uppermost.

Thank you, Mom.

Dort, God is taking you on the most important of journey of your life, that is,  the journey of faith and trust in God, your Savior.  It is the way of humility and love.  This is the time for you to grow in your understanding of what it means to walk by faith, not by sight.  It is the time to believe in the “blowing wind” of the Spirit  doing the will of God in you, in others and in the world.  You see It and then you don’t.

This is the time in your life to ascend in faith, looking upon Him whom we have pierced and nailed to the cross. Look upon Him who is redeeming you in the circumstances of life and inviting you to descend into your lowliness and lack of energy.  Low energy: testing your faith. High energy: affirming your faith.

Mom, this is difficult. 

Dort, “you must be born from above”  (Today’s Gospel: John 3: 7b-15).   That, Dort, is what God is doing in you now.  It is not your work but His. On occasion, God opens your eyes to realize that He is doing more in you now than you can imagine. Trust God, Dort. Trust Him!