Do you ever read a book that changes the way you look at life? A New Look at Grace by Bill Huebsch is one of those books for me. I have read it and re-read it so many times. The pages of my copy are worn and tattered.
One of the key ideas in this book that I like so much is what Huebsch calls the “Holy Pause”. He says, “This Holy Pause doesn’t have to take a lot of time: really two minutes will do it. Pause and ask yourself this question: What has gone on in this time that holds the potential for Mystery?” The Mystery he is referring to here is God. He encourages us to look back over our day at the common occurrences in life so that we can see God in these moments.
-The phone call from a friend
-The beautiful sunrise we saw.
-The gorgeous tree or flower we saw.
-A new idea that popped into our head.
-A quiet moment to ourselves.
-Time spent with family, friends, colleagues.
Huebsch states, “Unless we pause, we will miss the potential for Mystery contained in these moments. We will go rushing on, trying in vain to find meaning, trying to be satisfied, trying to find comfort and rest, when all along, the meaning, the satisfaction of the heart, the rest we seek is right there, waiting to be encountered.”
God is right there in front of us: available daily in our common, everyday experiences.
Today my thoughts are already heading to sipping coffee with my hubby this morning, playing outside on this beautiful November day with my kids, emailing with my dad, meeting a Watkinsville potter, and planting my winter pansies.
If we practiced the “Holy Pause” right now, what would be revealed to us about our encounter with God already today?
Becky Eldredge
Becky is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and writer. She is the author of the Busy Lives and Restless Souls (March 2017, Loyola Press) and The Inner Chapel (April 2020, Loyola Press). She helps others create space to connect faith and everyday life through facilitating retreats and days of reflection, through writing, and through spiritual direction. With nearly twenty years of ministry experience within the Catholic Church, Becky seeks to help others discover God at work in the every day moments of people’s lives by utilizing St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises and the many gifts that our Catholic faith and Ignatian Spirituality provide.
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