The Art of Realignment

I recently completed research in an attempt to write a blog post, but I fell into a trap of my own making. Instead of enjoying the process and accumulating pertinent information, I found myself in a “spirit of competition” as Julia Cameron mentioned in her book The Artist’s Way.

My ego and fear started to eat at me. Thoughts like:

I could draft this article better.

I wish I could write this well.

What is the point? Someone else could write it more eloquently than I can. Someone probably has.

Cameron writes, “The desire to be better than can choke off the simple desire to be.”

I allowed the spirit of competition to impede my progress. I lost my focus and let my emotions cloud the issue. While my ego demanded me to be original, interesting, and masterful, my fear worried I didn’t have the capacity. Disappointment filled me as I felt I had the potential but was wasting it. My energy, excitement, and creative flow waned.

It took some time before I realized what was happening and why I felt my creativity was blocked. I had to release my expectations and my worries. I had to take the focus off myself and refocus on God. So, I said a prayer acknowledging my concerns. I asked God, “What do you want me to write?” I felt I was supposed to share this experience. And here we are.

Spiritual direction can have a similar experience. On our life journey, struggles rise up, insecurities worry us, or strife occurs, and we can lose sight of God. Maybe a friend gets all the blessings, and you wonder when good news will finally come your way. Or someone you trust betrays you. Or complacency sets in, and life becomes stagnant. The day-to-day grind can pummel and discourage us.

Yet, a visit to a spiritual director can help with our realignment. We are reminded to refocus instead on our all-powerful God who loves us rather than focus on all of our seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

There are times we may benefit from a spiritual director, friend, or mentor to help us realign ourselves to following God’s flow in our lives. We are reminded that we are not alone in the world, and we are meant to live in relationship. When our love of others is replaced by jealousy, fear, or envy, we are blocked. We need realignment and refocus.

Realigning with God involves such simple yet powerful practices as prayer, meditation, and reading scripture. I know I want to follow the example of the disciples as they help others; not so much as when they argue who among them is more important.

God is a God of relationships, and while we are the “hands and feet” of God, we may simply miss one amazing fact: God loves us. No matter our striving or our spirit of competition, the knowledge remains that we are masterpieces created by God. When we realize how loved we truly are, we can obtain peace—until the next realignment is needed.

Take a moment today to reconnect and open your heart to His presence. Embrace this journey and see how it transforms your life.

—Katie Rea, WTC Writing Coach