"Three simple precautions: First, do not be afraid to fail…. Second, keep your emphasis on God, not the method. It is hard initially, but try to think about why you are doing an exercise rather than about what you are doing" (Smith and Graybeal, 35).
That's an interesting idea, to focus on why as well as what I'm doing. In my everyday life, sometimes I am so involved in whining about how much I hate washing dishes, etc. that I forget there's any benefit to doing chores at all.
However, my attitude changes dramatically when I remember that I'm doing these simple daily tasks to bless my husband, to be obedient to God, and to satisfy my personal need for cleanliness and order. There are tangible and spiritual benefits to actually cleaning the house. When I begin to focus on these outcomes - which are why I'm doing the work - the process of what I'm doing miraculously becomes pleasurable.
So this concept of thinking about why and not just what I'm doing has a spiritual application (i.e., helping me practice contemplation) as well as practical applications (getting me through the tedious or unpleasant moments in life). Woo-hoo!
(Journal, Dec. 30, 2011)
Smith, James Bryan and Lynda Graybeal. A Spiritual Formation Wookbook: Small-Group Resources for Nurturing Christian Growth. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.
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