"I Couldn't Help But Notice...You Seem To Be At War With Yourself"

My beautiful wife and I recently watched Tangled, the Disney cartoon about a princess who escapes from the confines of her tower only to wrestle with herself over the great disappointment she will cause her "mother" in leaving. It's a funny scene of dichotic emotional extremes - the great joy freedom, mixed with an air of utter despair. How funny... how true. Maybe the spiritual life looks a little something like Tangled in each of us?

How often I find myself in this place where what my mind hates most and what my heart yearns continually for - is present: Total dependence. Loss of control. Hanging by a word from you. The dichotic extremes of intense joy in Christ, entangled with the the entourage of logical questions and demanded proofs.

My intellect attempts to console and persuade my heart, and my heart in return attempts to communicate the incredible joy and confidence of the Lord's word to me; and neither fully understand or speak the other's language.

Like Peter, following HOPE in a world bereft of hopefulness, I say "To whom shall we go... You have the words of eternal life." (Jn 6:68) So it is, be still oh my soul, for the Lord has been good to you (Ps 116:7).