Renewal

Imagine a college student, mid-semester, giving an update to her mentor: “I’ve poured out my heart for God – I help at the soup kitchen, pick up trash, volunteer with the Fire Department, give spare change to beggars – and on and on.”

“But,” she said, “the needs keep growing, and I’ve made no difference.”

Listening carefully, he offered this counsel – “Shift your effort to the inner person. Till the soil of hearts & minds – oh yeah, start with yourself.” That mentor was the beloved Henri Nouwen, a man of faith who lived what he preached.

More on the topic:

• Some ideas for how to meditate on Scripture, so your heart receives the truth
• The Civil Rights Movement kept and awareness of the need for inward transformation
• Contemplation must accompany service, or else we lose our joy
• See this deep dive into Henri Nouwen’s understanding of spiritual renewal