“I do not have to move faster than I can.” I am “allowed to stay in the place where I am consoled.” H. Nouwen.

Through the first few years of adjusting to my lung disease and it’s effects upon my body, soul and spirit, my own harshness against myself fought so hard against the voice of God’s tender compassion and even His felt tangible calming hand and breath. With a mixture of compelled and grateful surrender, I eventually learned to slay the inner taskmaster and accept His kind blessing was there in overflowing fullness for me in my limitation, and I rested in Him. I gave myself permission to receive tender consolation from Jesus as my non-condemning divine friend, from my Heavenly Father who was for me not against me, from the Holy Spirit who sets me free from slavery with a deep cry of sonship. I gave myself permission to stay in that place of consolation. It was not God who had been forcing my pace.

Are you feeling comfortless today, follower of Jesus? Perhaps He is not ahead of you, but behind you, waiting in a place where He brought you comfort rest and hope before. Go back to that well of refreshing where He sits and waits, offering you a fresh drink of living water. Read the books that brought you life before. Listen to that song, however old fashioned and unsophisticated it may be considered by others, which carried the fragrance of Jesus to you before. Put down your whip. Let the scars of self inflicted wounds heal.

God bless

Kenny