The beauty of powerlessness

But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook sins for the sake of repentance. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for you would not fashion what you hate. (Wisdom 11:23-24)

As baptized Christians, we need  and want to delight in all those people whom God has put on our path, especially our family and close friends. As broken humans, we have difficulty doing so. Our hearts are divided in many ways: sinful inclinations that we were born with and/or have developed through life’s experiences; habits developed by grasping onto people, things, and ideologies that sooth our emotions or intrigue our intellect; the many self-protecting habits formed out of the fear manifesting from our wounds. 

Yet despite all of this and as part of our transformation, God has put us into their life (and they into ours) to be part of their transformation. What were you thinking God? Don’t you know this about me? Don’t you know that about them?? 

Some, by rejecting conscience, have made a shipwreck of their faith. (1 Timothy 1:19)

God’s ways often seem quite ironic. He trusts us to love others while also expecting us to do it imperfectly. He built into our human nature the moral conscience needed to guide us for happy, harmonious living, while also permitting us to inherit concupiscence from Adam and Eve that would result in our battling that same moral conscience. He created in our human nature the innate desire to protect ourselves against harm and welcome the good while knowing that, from this concupiscence and our life wounds, disordered self-protection habits would manifest that potentially harm our relationship with Him and others. 

Which brings us back to our desire to love all of those who He puts in our life. How might you see the other person differently if the first thing you think about them is, “God has given me the honor of being part of their transformation and, in so doing, has given them the honor of having a role in mine too”? This takes a lot of surrender. 

From our beautiful and ancient Church heritage comes many prayers to aid us in the surrendering to Jesus of our loveless thoughts and self-protecting ways. The Surrender Novena by Servant of God Dolindo Ruotolo  is a more recent and very popular aid. Yet it remains a seemingly monstrous task to actually do it: to surrender to Him. And perhaps it is because at the center and foundation of surrendering is the primary truth of our own powerlessness. 

Powerlessness is the answer to all that ails us as we live day to day steeped in our root sin. True and meaningful surrender entails delighting in our own powerlessness. It is the reality that God truly is all powerful and in charge of our life world, and that you and I no longer need be. Embracing the mystery of our own powerlessness is what enables us to be that child who joyously shouts “I’m ok Daddy! I’m ok!”. 

Yet the thought of surrender triggers memories of those times in which the world took advantage of our powerlessness. The fear that arises is then projected onto our Heavenly Father, and prevents us from fully letting go of all those self-protecting habits that have enabled us to hide from these memories. Hidden from sight, we fool ourselves into thinking the wound is healed or that “I’ve got it under control”. 

In Ezekial’s vision (47:1-12), the water of life brings life to that which is stagnant and dead because “the waters of the river flow out from the sanctuary” (v. 12). Our powerlessness disposes us to this and is the instrument by which God brings back to life all that is dead within us. We become vessels of His grace, streams of life-giving mercy within our own lifeworld.  Omniscient (all knowing) and omnipresent (always present), God is unafraid to walk into the sin to be with the sinner. By His gifts of His Spirit of knowledge and understanding, He illuminates in our heart when and how we’ve left His grace. This living water brings clarity. And while we too often choose to reject this grace and remain in our loveless thought or sinful act, His Spirit’s conviction in the moment (as well as thereafter in prayer) remains proof that He is with us. He chooses to be with us; the invitation to return to love is always present. 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light. (Matthew 11:30)

Acceptance of our own powerlessness is the first step to having our eyes opened with awe of God’s generosity in His love and compassion. In our resistance, we do not fully embrace nor engage our relationship with Him. Yet He is determined to bear good fruit in us and through us to others.  When we take the leap of faith demanded in surrender, the experience of His love grows us to delight in our own powerlessness. The burden is no longer on our shoulders; in fact, it never has been. Stripping away this and other false perceptions, the shedding of the yoke we have placed upon ourselves, we are then free to be yoked to Him and revel in the difference. Just as He said, we experience an interior freedom never before imagined. 

Our destiny in life is the embrace of God. For this we were created. Our powerlessness is our strength, reducing us to that small, trusting child who is lifted up by our Father. Make this Advent your ‘yes’ in trusting Him. It will bring the incarnation of Christ within you. 

Promises of Redemption and Restoration

 But now, thus says the Lord,

who created you, Jacob, and formed you, Israel:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name: you are mine.

When you pass through waters, I will be with you;

through rivers, you shall not be swept away.

When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned,

nor will flames consume you.

For I, the Lord, am your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your savior.

I give Egypt as ransom for you,

Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.

Because you are precious in my eyes

and honored, and I love you,

I give people in return for you

and nations in exchange for your life.

Fear not, for I am with you;

from the east I will bring back your offspring,

from the west I will gather you.

I will say to the north: Give them up!

and to the south: Do not hold them!

Bring back my sons from afar,

and my daughters from the ends of the earth:

All who are called by my name

I created for my glory;

I formed them, made them.

(Isaiah 43:1-7)

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam 😊

P.S. The meditation series on Julian of Norwich is outstanding, particularly episode 13 in which clarifying God’s love vs. wrath brings deeper understanding of Him. https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/ep-13-the-anent-reflections-part-one-all-shall-be-well-w-kris-mcgregor-discerning-hearts-catholic-podcasts/?mc_eid=7936f3c381 

Additionally, check out Frs. Mike Schmitz and Bonafice Hicks’ talk on all types of grieving https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qLvLfucAIs as well as sign up for the Magdala Institute’s Advent Pilgrimage filmed in the Holy Land https://www.magdala.org/advent/advent-2025?action=form&id=cm-advent-2025-en

(Image by Hobi Photography from Pexels)