Beside Restful Waters

by Greg Hermann

“During the fact, you do not enjoy or trust your own strength at all, in fact, quite the opposite. You just cry out in various ways. Then God, for some wonderful reason, is able to fill the gap.” Fr. Richard Rohr “During the fact.” What fact?

Many of us have experienced the 'fact'. We have experienced that place where fear overwhelms trust; that place where pain overwhelms our ability to pray to our Higher Power; that place that cripples us in isolation, despair and hopelessness. Many of us have been there. We have been in the gap. Now, many of us are struggling with similar experiences as our nation and world are experiences this frightening pandemic with isolation and fear.

How do we fill in this gap? Let's reflect on our earlier experiences with our personal trauma. Many of us have worked directly with the 'facts' of our trauma. We have cried out, reached out, and sought out help. What was the response of our Higher Power? The response for me was connection with others who experienced the 'disempowerment', fear, despair of trauma similar to mine.

Wow! I am not alone! What have been your experiences?

I pray you have found similar connections with the assurance that we are not alone. We come to know an assurance, a confidence in an outcome that is not fully understood. Yet, with others, there is a sense of safety. Our cries for help are answered in the faces of those who share the pain, despair, and struggle which offer hope. I believe that these connections offer a face to face experience with our Higher Power, our God. This is the simplicity of our cries being heard. What is the wonderful the wonderful reason for our assurance? Our face to face, hug to hug, eye to eye recognition that we fill in the gap.

Face to face? Who is the face you see? Whose face is your gift of assurance? Whose face offers you hope? Is whose eyes do you find rest? We are the wonderful reasons to fill in our gaps.

Namaste'