The real self

I consider that the spiritual life is the life of [one’s] real self, the life of that interior self whose flame is so often allowed to be smothered under the ashes of anxiety and futile concern.
— Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island

In these few words Merton has spelled out the scope of this blog:

the ‘real self’ God made us to be
how to find that self
how to fan it aflame amid the ashes of our lives

It boils down to what I have come to believe is the good news of the Gospel:

Following Jesus leads us from our fake selves to our real selves,
from living in our heads to living from our hearts,
from advancing our own agendas to receiving the gift of His,
from thirsting for the next transient thrill to drinking deeply of eternal life.
dw

What do you think of the notion that each of us has a ‘real self’ that God loves and nurtures?
To what extent do you feel in touch with your real self?
What are the ashes in your life that hinder your real self from emerging and thriving?

I encourage you to consider writing out your answers, either in a journal or in the comments section.

Grace and peace to you…

p.s. this, too, is a refresh of an earlier post