Jose Humphreys

I’ve just returned from a two-day retreat at a friend’s home in Middleton, NY. I try to do this at least once a year as a way of recalibrating and recharging. It went well for me. The hospitality was awesome. I feel as if things are more manageable in life now. I had originally gone with the purpose of doing some personal planning around the church. It turns out that I spent most of the time writing and sleeping away ministry
fatigue.  It was truly a retreat experience.

While at the retreat house I ran across this book by Brennan Manning called “Ruthless Trust“.   In it he talks about how a former student of his who had became a monk. This monk had summed up the Christian faith in one word: That word was trust.  I’m not sure if I agree with this totally but there is something compelling about it.  Jesus’ emotional barometer did get elevated when folks demonstrated crazy-against all circumstances faith. Scripture does teach that without faith or trust, it’s impossible to please God.

There were quotes that I recorded that I would like to share:

“Craving Clarity, we attempt to eliminate the risk of trusting God.”

Brennan quoting Mother Theresa: “I have never had clarity; what I always had is trust. So I pray that you will trust God.”

“The faith that animates the Christian Community is less a matter of believing in the existence of God than a practical trust in his loving care under whatever pressure.”

“Trust is that rare and priceless treasure that wins us the affection of our heavenly Father. For him it has both charm and fascination.”

Finally, “The decisive (or what I call the second) conversion from mistrust to trust-a conversion that must be renewed daily-is the moment of sovereign deliverance fromt he warehouse of worry.” (emphasis mine)

This is stuff I will be chewing at the bit for years to come in the midst of my own “second conversion”.