“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” ~ Carl Jung
One of my favorite liturgical hymns is “Deep Within” by composer David Haas. The refrain speaks to me every time I sing it: “Deep within, I will plant my law, not on stone, but in your heart. Follow me; I will bring you back. You will be my own, and I will be your God.”
Carl Jung spoke about looking within in order to have a true awakening. We are a society that does not generally engage in introspection. We do not like looking within. Perhaps it is because we are afraid of what we will find. If we look deep within, we might find fault or blame. We might find weakness instead of strength. We might find something lacking rather than reserves.
True, we might also find weakness and something lacking. But we will also be able to find the strength to cope with those things and to come out stronger and better. For, it is only when we look deep within that we will be able to see what God has placed into our hearts. If we look within, we will find the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. If we look deep within, we will find grace and strength and comfort.
It is absolutely all right to look outside and dream dreams. That is how so many great and wonderful inventions have happened throughout human history. It is all right to consider expanding horizons and all sort of possibilities. It is also absolutely all right to look within. It is in doing so that people have found their true calling and gone on to do great and wonderful things.
Dream and reflect. That is a perfect combination.
FAITH ACTION: Spend some time in quiet prayer today, looking to see and hear the stirrings of God deep within your heart.