“I once saw a stonecutter remove great pieces from a huge rock on which he was working. In my imagination I thought, That rock must be hurting terribly. Why does this man wound the rock so much? But as I looked longer, I saw the figure of a graceful dancer emerge gradually from the stone.
“I have spent a good deal of my life building a stone wall of protection around my heart. Now when I actually hear the truth about my hardness of heart, it seems as though one of the stones is being taken out of my protective wall. This wounds me and makes me frightened and angry. It’s a big struggle. But I’m trying to be more aware of and less fearful in the process…
“In spiritual formation, you may think about your life as a strong rock wall, resisting anyone and anything that tries to change it. Resentment makes us blind to God’s carving hand, but gratitude helps us recognize the process – that slowly but surely we are being formed into a beautiful work of art; that we are being prepared to be a person who can offer our own pains as a source of healing for others…
Every time we have to give up a familiar passion or favorite concept, a precious idea or definitive plan for our life, a justifiable attitude or habitual behavior and especially a treasured friendship or community, we feel an inner protest. But when we are willing to see God’s caressing hand at work, we might discover that after much carving we have an empty place where we may be filled and healed and finally transformed into a grateful dancer God intends for us to be.”
