Through Stained Glass: Advent Word a Day 17-Fulfill

“Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.” Martin Luther King Jr

Fulfill

The conversation went something like this…

“The word for today is fulfil.”

           “Fulfil?”

“Yea. I’m curious what you did with it.”

 “Ugh. I didn’t really do much with it. I don’t like it.”

A belly laugh and then, “This is going to be good. Why not?”

“It is too…oh I don’t know…focused on an end product. You know, like it is fixated on results.”

“Yea, no. I get that. It's like an Amazon order. ‘Your package has been delivered. Your order has been fulfilled. The transaction is complete.”

“Yes! Exactly. We spend so much time seeing that we fulfill the requirements, expectations rather, of this or that, we don’t stop to consider if what we are doing is actually fulfilling our true selves?”

“Right. We worry so much about the end result that we miss the journey. We want instant gratification. We want results now. We do what we do because it is a means to an end.”

           “But doesn’t the process fulfill you?”

Silence.

Dang. The power of a well-placed question. Now, that's fulfilling.

My artist friends and art therapist colleagues always remind me of this fact—it’s about the process, what we learn along the way as we journey toward our destination—toward the completed work of art.

I worry so much about the final product of whatever I’m working on—a sermon, a poem, a project—that I often miss the Spirit beckoning me towards the creative mystery. Sometimes fulfillment doesn’t happen by following the rules but by following the heart.

The temptation is to fulfill the expectations of others and not the hopes of our own hearts. When we begin to live outside of ourselves—or to satisfy the demands of others—we separate ourselves from our true selves. Which is who God created us to be—our original name.

When we live from our original name—the Christ within—we fulfill God’s salvific plan for our lives. Which actually isn’t an end—but a beginning to a waltz that involves creation, our neighbors, and, you guessed it, you!

“But doesn’t the process fulfill you?”

This post may not fulfill your expectation for the word. And that is okay. See what is happening? We each encounter these words differently. The end result isn’t necessarily what I’m interested in. I’m more curious about how you got there!

That’s what fulfills me!