obedience
It is not uncommon for a sister to fear that her life is out of control, that her relationships are unbalanced, or that despite her best efforts, she has no idea how to find peace. Very often there is something for which she longs, but cannot name. She craves firm boundaries and also the kind of accountability that will ‘make her’ live as the woman she knows herself to be deep inside. But she is also afraid to reveal this part of herself. The idea of obedience resonates with her on the deepest levels: intellectually, sexually, and spiritually. She senses that she needs obedience in her life because nothing else is working.
She has doubts though. She questions this need and wonders if it is a weakness, or worse, a flaw. She may wonder: Is this desire normal? Does this desire make me different from others?
If any part of this rings true for you, you are not alone. We have been there.
As watchful sisters, we believe that the fruits of obedience offer the greatest rewards while also ensuring that we are pleasing to those around us. Obedience allows us to follow the intention of our community: to be watchful for opportunities to offer ourselves. We firmly believe that anything is possible through obedience: Marriages are saved. Excess weight is lost. Wounds are healed. Fears are overcome. Bad habits are broken. Negative attitudes are let go. Compassion is cultivated. Love multiplies. Limits are tested. Wisdom and clarity come. There are very few ways to match the capacity for growth and watchfulness that come from embracing a life of obedience. And not obedience to a ‘leader’ or a book, but obedience to an instinct, a calling.
Is that possible? The dilemma many of our sisters share is this: Where do i begin? Who, or what, do i obey? How do i fulfill this desire to be obedient?
After some reflection and practice you will learn the answer to this question. Our community helps member-sisters identify the opportunities for obedience that are already present in our lives, and provides each of us with opportunities to explore obedience thoughtfully in a safe environment using various modes of formation.
Embracing a life of obedience will open you to a cyclical process of growth. Some sisters say it often feels like a two-steps-forward-one-step-back process. Living through periods of calm followed by periods of testing is not uncommon. Many stumble along the way and are helped up again by others who have also stumbled. This process of growing through obedience is not easy and may often be distressing, but it is always beneficial. Each cycle builds upon the previous cycle, and patient practice often brings clarity and wisdom. With this understanding a new capacity to hold ‘more’ is realized and, over time, you discover the course of your whole life has been altered through obedience.
