Patrik Olterman

Becoming and being all that I am is my calling

This entry is part 9 of 11 in the series Life is my Religion

Holiness and calling are two central points of a Salvationist theology. Many books have been written on holiness, most of them describing holiness as a tool to get rid of/become sin free and while many of these books describe holiness as an internal process the result becomes an external system of sin management. As if creating a life where I abstain from sin pleases god.

My own thoughts on holiness have been greatly influenced by Wesley who makes a case for holiness as something closer to wholeness, to recover from brokenness to become perfect not in the sense of becoming flawless and “all that I can be” but in the sense of being all that I am am in this moment, the right person, at the right place in the right time. That is to acknowledge that I may not be finished and I may not have reached the goal but I have come as far as I can at this point in my life and working together with god I have realised (made real) my potential to be what god created me to be as far as possible at this very moment.

The road to holiness is very much an inward Journey, discovering the image of god in me and the my purpose and function in the body so that I can accept who I am and live fully as myself in every moment.

M. Scott Peck states:

”If one ever has the good fortune to meet a living saint , one will have met someone absolutely unique. Through their visions may be remarkably similar, the personhood of saints is remarkably different. This is because they have become utterly themselves ” (M. Scott Peck, The road less travelled)

Similarly Thomas Merton writes:

“For me to be a saint means to be myself. Therefore the problem of sanctity and salvation is in fact the problem of finding out who I am and of discovering my true self … Therefore there is only one problem on which all my existence, my peace and my happiness depend: to discover myself in discovering God. If I find him I will find myself and if I find my true self I will find Him.” (Thomas Merton, New seeds of contemplation).

My calling then and the road towards holiness is to discover this true self and to live out who god says I am, in doing so I will not only find the relief of holiness but I will find godself in my search of myself. While this may feel like a becoming or a transformation of self it is more a being what I already am. All that I was created to be is already within me and there for the discovery if I dare to dismantle the false self (what Paul would call the flesh) and show up as my true self.

Life is my religionBeing alive is my daily spiritual practiceLove is my ruleHumankind is my familyAuthentic friendships is my churchThe kingdom of god runs through my veins.Jesus is my brotherBecoming and being all that I am is my callingHelping you become and be all that you are is my ministryMy deepest feelings is my guideAll living things are my teacher.

 

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[…] friendships is my church. The kingdom of god runs through my veins. Jesus is my brother. Becoming and being all that I am is my calling. Helping you become and be all that you are is my ministry. My deepest feelings is my guide. All […]

[…] friendships is my church. The kingdom of god runs through my veins.Jesus is my brother. Becoming and being all that I am is my calling. Helping you become and be all that you are is my ministry. My deepest feelings is my guide. All […]

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