My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it. – Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel
A blessing that I categorize as a ‘dangerous blessing,’ is one that Larry Hine, Brennan Manning’s spiritual director, gave to Manning at his ordination. I kiddingly call them ‘dangerous blessings,’ because, as I mentioned in my post “A Beautifully Uncomfortable Blessing,” it’s not that they do harm, but they courageously embrace what we would normally consider desolation for the purpose of the greatest consolation: experiencing the Love of Christ more deeply.
The thing that resonates with me regarding these ‘dangerous blessings,’ is that they embrace an important truth of the Christian’s spiritual life. Inward transformation happens, not in the safety and security of everything trucking along smoothly, but in the bumps, potholes, and detours of life. As we cling to the Lord, that’s where the growth happens.
This blessing goes:
May all of your expectations be frustrated
May all of your plans be thwarted
May all of your desires be withered into nothingness
That you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child
And learn to sing and dance in the love of God, who is Father, Son, & Holy Spirit
Bless you as you learn to sing and dance in the love of God – through the droughts, storms, and dark nights.
