The Inner Voice of Love Pt 1

The Inner Voice of Love

Daily reflections on Nouwen's book

The Inner Voice of Love was Henri Nouwen's 'secret journal' which he wrote as he moved through a deep personal crisis. He writes, "What once seemed such a curse has become a blessing. All the agony that threatened to destroy my life now seems like the fertile ground for greater trust, stronger hope, and deeper love."

The Solid Place

In The Inner Voice of Love Henri Nouwen writes, "You have to trust the place that is solid, the place where you can say yes to God's love even when you do not feel it. Right now you feel nothing except emptiness and the lack of strength to choose. But keep saying, 'God loves me, and God's love is enough'. You have to choose the solid place over and over again and return to it after every failure."

For Nouwen the commitment to choose to the solid place came from the necessity of inner anguish. Anguish which resulted from crying to others to meet his needs for affection, attention and consolation. The Inner Voice of Love is his 'secret journal', his daily 'thoughts to self' as he journeyed toward recovery just 8 years before he died. God worked through Nouwen's brokenness to shape a profound ministry which continues 15 years after his death.

I'm incredibly grateful for Nouwen's willingness to share authentically about his journey. I need to trust the solid place daily. And I see a great need for this same movement of trust in my circle of influence.

'God loves me, and God's love is enough.' What do we do when we know that in our head but it hasn't sunk into our heart?

Choose it. Over and over again affirm that God loves you. Eventually you will begin to experience it. Don't be disheartened by your failures to live it out. Instead keep returning to your choice to believe that what God says is true.

As you do this, God will faithfully show you his love. He will also strengthen you so that, over time, it will become more natural to experience what you choose to believe. 'God loves me and God's love is enough.'