Leaps of Faith

Over breakfast with a friend this week, she reminded me of the saying reculer pour mieux sauter – basically, to draw back a little in order to make a better jump or leap.

This can mean a strategic withdrawal – intentionally pulling back, in order to regroup and focus energy elsewhere. While ‘strategic withdrawal’ is often a phrase used in military planning or corporate considerations, we as people of faith can choose to apply this to our spiritual journeys.

We do this by retreat: not in the sense of “run away, run away!” but rather in the notion of intentional holy pause.

A retreat can be a moment, a day, a week, or longer. It is not a vacation, it is not simply turning off the electronics (though that can be helpful); a spiritual retreat engages a lot of interior work to discern the path forward.

It is a time when we choose to see what is giving us energy in our work and play; and what is draining us. It encourages us to reconnect with our true selves – beyond the titles, the job descriptions, the to-do lists, the everything of the world. We are not denying those things, we are merely choosing to temporarily put them down, and to enter into the wholeness of the Holy, who loved us into being before any of those things were a part of our lives.

When we are there, we tap into the opportunity of considering not only what we want to do, but how we will do it – incorporating ideas for faithful, supported, forward motion.

To draw back temporarily grants us the grace to embrace the beautiful potential in the world, that God is constantly lavishing upon us. From this celebration of gift received, we re-enter the world: empowered, encouraged, energised.

For the mieux sauter that we seek is not about measurements or metrics, but about the spiritual growth. How can we jump into the fullness of being in this world, at this time, with the people God has put before us. What lessons of the past can we re-remember to enrich the present? What ideas of today can enhance our tomorrows?

May God guide us all as we draw back from all that inhibits love, so that we might make our leaps of faith with enthusiasm into our shared ministry.