It’s a privilege doing retreat work, spiritual direction, and counseling. One of the great gifts in it all is the opportunity to walk for a while with people on their own spiritual journey.
One of the things you learn is that not all spiritual stories are equal.
Some spiritual stories are broad and all encompassing. Others are shaped by personal considerations and may not translate more broadly at all. Some of those stories are life-giving. Others are burdened with guilt, insurmountable demands, and leave people broken and struggling.
To some extent, the strength of a spiritual story — and, therefore, a spiritual path — lies in its ability to answer questions that we all share.
• The more they embrace…
• The better they summarize the challenges we face…
• The more convincing the story they tell…
• The more easily they are shared
• And the more easily we can find our stories in the larger stories.
This is not to suggest that questions of truth or history are unimportant. It is merely a matter of lifting up a little noticed consideration. Our spirituality needs to tell a story that makes sense, gives us hope, offers meaning, and provides us with the courage and energy to love and live.
Does your spiritual story do those things?