Applying What We Learn
Most jobs require us to acquire or at least improve our skills. Driven by technological advances and the challenges of the marketplace, we can't rely on old, rusty skills. Software development provides perhaps the most obvious example with which most of us are familiar. Companies introduce new smartphone operating systems and apps constantly, hoping to expand the capabilities of their products, thereby grabbing more market share. But no matter our work, resting on your laurels won't likely satisfy your customers or your boss.
That's why so many of us spend a portion of our time studying or taking hands-on training these days. In my case, I've got a regular regimen of reading professional literature to stay on top of not only new technology, but newer concepts on how to provide better service to my customers. Most of what I read can be discarded, but every once in a while I pluck a pearl among the swine. And so I continue reading, studying, seeking to improve.
But simple knowledge is only half the trick. You've got to apply what you've learned. Otherwise you walk around brimming with great ideas trapped inside your head, never to see the light of day. Neither you nor those you serve in your work benefit from mere knowledge.
The same holds in our spiritual lives. While it's important to continually study and learn more about our Holy Faith, it's even more important to apply what we learn. Last time we talked about Our Lord's "hidden life." If you remember, we thought it appropriate to ask our "What would Our Lord Do?" as we approach our tasks and engage with people in the workplace. As I prepare for work today, I pray for the grace to remember to apply this simple suggestion to my own work today.
I might start with the sometimes daunting but always demanding "To Do" list that confronts me each morning. Rather than becoming anxious, especially on a day when that list appears infinitely long, let me focus my attention on offering up any difficulties I might face in executing these tasks in a timely manner. I'll offer up such difficulties for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, whose suffering might be diminished in whatever degree Our Lord deems appropriate. And when I face a particularly challenging task, I might pause for a moment and ask myself, "What would Our Lord do?" I suspect His reaction would never include being anxious, fearful, discouraged, exasperated, or any of the other parade of emotions that typically delay my promptly, thoroughly, and joyfully executing the tasks at hand.
A further thought: Here's where trusting in God throughout the work day takes center stage. It's not that I'm expecting Him to do my work for me. It's not that my faith will make things easy. I bear the weight of my responsibilities in proportion to the importance and gravity of each task. But as I do, I trust that Our Lord would never, ever expect me to take on more than I can, in fact, bear. And in those moments when it "feels" as if I'm being overwhelmed, or crushed under the burdens of my work, I can look to Him. I see the patience, forbearance, and strength He demonstrated in His own life, most especially in His Passion, when He took on all suffering for love of His Father - and His love for all of us. I might even recall Bishop Hedley's words:
More next time...
That's why so many of us spend a portion of our time studying or taking hands-on training these days. In my case, I've got a regular regimen of reading professional literature to stay on top of not only new technology, but newer concepts on how to provide better service to my customers. Most of what I read can be discarded, but every once in a while I pluck a pearl among the swine. And so I continue reading, studying, seeking to improve.
But simple knowledge is only half the trick. You've got to apply what you've learned. Otherwise you walk around brimming with great ideas trapped inside your head, never to see the light of day. Neither you nor those you serve in your work benefit from mere knowledge.
The same holds in our spiritual lives. While it's important to continually study and learn more about our Holy Faith, it's even more important to apply what we learn. Last time we talked about Our Lord's "hidden life." If you remember, we thought it appropriate to ask our "What would Our Lord Do?" as we approach our tasks and engage with people in the workplace. As I prepare for work today, I pray for the grace to remember to apply this simple suggestion to my own work today.
I might start with the sometimes daunting but always demanding "To Do" list that confronts me each morning. Rather than becoming anxious, especially on a day when that list appears infinitely long, let me focus my attention on offering up any difficulties I might face in executing these tasks in a timely manner. I'll offer up such difficulties for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, whose suffering might be diminished in whatever degree Our Lord deems appropriate. And when I face a particularly challenging task, I might pause for a moment and ask myself, "What would Our Lord do?" I suspect His reaction would never include being anxious, fearful, discouraged, exasperated, or any of the other parade of emotions that typically delay my promptly, thoroughly, and joyfully executing the tasks at hand.
A further thought: Here's where trusting in God throughout the work day takes center stage. It's not that I'm expecting Him to do my work for me. It's not that my faith will make things easy. I bear the weight of my responsibilities in proportion to the importance and gravity of each task. But as I do, I trust that Our Lord would never, ever expect me to take on more than I can, in fact, bear. And in those moments when it "feels" as if I'm being overwhelmed, or crushed under the burdens of my work, I can look to Him. I see the patience, forbearance, and strength He demonstrated in His own life, most especially in His Passion, when He took on all suffering for love of His Father - and His love for all of us. I might even recall Bishop Hedley's words:
Contemplate, one by one, the characteristics of His life at Nazareth. Observe the simplicity of His view – God alone.Will I remember all this today when the rubber meets the road? Well, even if I retain only a smidgen of this meditation, and apply it at some trying moment, it will have been worth the effort.
More next time...
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