In sewing a button onto a garment I find that if I use too long a thread, I will inevitably end up with knots in it, which spoils the whole project, and forces me to start over.

I believe that we all have knots in our souls that frustrate our hope of drawing close to God. The knots that we harbor are feelings of anxiety, fear, despair, and desire for “stuff”. Some of the knots are large and noticeable, but others are tiny and we barely know they are there.

St. John of the Cross once wrote, “God commanded that the ark (of the covenant) be empty and hollow (Exodus 27:8) to remind the soul how void of all things God wishes it to be if it is to serve as a worthy dwelling for His Majesty. (The Ascent of MountCarmel Book 1, chapter 5) Knots are those “things” that take hold of us and push our relationship with God aside, overshadowing that relationship. They are interior inhabitants of our spirits. The list is almost endless of the things that might end up tying us in knots.

Once you have sewn on a button, it isn’t safe to assume that it will never need a renewal to re-attach it to the garment; and though it is a rather simple thing to do, we often neglect it. The same is true for our relationship with our invisible God. He never protests when we spend less time in prayer or Bible reading, and soon enough the “ark” of our lives is full of other things: “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24) When the disciples heard this they . . . asked, “Who, then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

Clearly the answer to all the knots in the world lies with opening our own hearts and minds to the One who can remove them. All can be opened to Him by surrendering the knots that lodge in our minds and hearts. Things we think we can never surrender, Jesus knows that we can. Even a feeble effort is recognized by Him and receives its reward. I’m still careless with the thread that I use, and still make knots. But Jesus’ answer to the disciples is clear, and I depend on it: With God all things are possible.

Love in Him,

Prue