tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20471270.post115369061964622664..comments2023-05-13T12:42:00.360+01:00Comments on PamBG's Blog: God is Good - Part 2PamBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324370506889227234noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20471270.post-1153950992476250812006-07-26T22:56:00.000+01:002006-07-26T22:56:00.000+01:00Oh my goodness. I wish I had know about Ignatian ...Oh my goodness. I wish I had know about Ignatian spirituality before. It sounds wonderful. I think I'll look for a book about it!hip2bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043622691294207012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20471270.post-1153907731487933862006-07-26T10:55:00.000+01:002006-07-26T10:55:00.000+01:00since God desires what is life-giving for us. Ofte...<I>since God desires what is life-giving for us. Often times that encompasses many possible paths. I see people struggle in discernment over figuring out just the right choice, when maybe God is big enough to offer us more than one.</I><BR/><BR/>Sacred Center, this is a really <I>excellent</I> point. Thank you for reminding us! Sometimes God does indeed offer us more than one alternative and we are asked to choose. I tend to be a 'decision-maker' type personality and I forget that there <I>are</I> people who agonise that they might make 'the wrong choice'. Thank you for reminding us of this.PamBGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11324370506889227234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20471270.post-1153891204685035022006-07-26T06:20:00.000+01:002006-07-26T06:20:00.000+01:00Hi Pam, Thanks for sharing your retreat experience...Hi Pam, Thanks for sharing your retreat experiences. I have participated in the Spiritual Exercises (9 month format) twice now and love Ignatian spirituality in large part because of what you highlight here: the deepest desires of your heart, Ignatius believed, were planted there by God. I always find the term "God's will" too narrow anyway, since God desires what is life-giving for us. Often times that encompasses many possible paths. I see people struggle in discernment over figuring out just the right choice, when maybe God is big enough to offer us more than one. Anyway, thanks again. Blessings to you, ChristineAbbey of the Artshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14209930033173790793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20471270.post-1153779942820927922006-07-24T23:25:00.000+01:002006-07-24T23:25:00.000+01:00Thanks for that story sandalstraps. I hope the mi...Thanks for that story sandalstraps. I hope the minister in question has come to know and to love the person that God created him to be.PamBGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11324370506889227234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20471270.post-1153754996696262962006-07-24T16:29:00.000+01:002006-07-24T16:29:00.000+01:00I once knew a pastor who would have been an excell...I once knew a pastor who would have been an excellent teacher. He had all of the gifts and abilities of a teacher, and was very passionate when using the teaching office of the church as part of his role as a pastor. However, he was terrible as a pastor. He just couldn't do pastoral care, and he couldn't play church politics.<BR/><BR/>I once met with him to discuss some concerns that his church was having with his performance as their pastor (in an unofficial capacity) and to help him process some events. As we talked it became clear that he really wanted to be a teacher, but he didn't feel like it was God's will for his life. God, he felt, wanted him to suffer through something he wasn't any good at, rather than use his gifts and abilities in a way which was more naturally for him.<BR/><BR/>I wonder how we so often end up thinking that God's will must run counter to our natural substance. God, after all, gave us that natural substance, those gifts, abilities and interests which help shape our vocation. Reading your post reminded me of this pastor who in my mind chose to suffer rather than embrace his own ambitions as being in accord with the will of God.<BR/><BR/>He was and is a good man, but a terrible pastor, and I can't believe that God doesn't know that he'd be a much better teacher than he is a pastor.Sandalstrapshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16303641009581382217noreply@blogger.com