A Life That Leans Toward God
Jesus has gone before us. In the words of John 13:1, he has made the crossing from this world toward the Father and summons us to come after him. We will do this definitively when, at the hour of our death, we will have to summon up whatever resources we have in order to cast ourselves into the arms of God.
We need to remember, however, that the quality of this supremely personal act is not manufactured at the last moment. It is the fruit of countless small choices made from infancy onward which have given shape to our will. To the extent that our decisions have centered on feeding self we will find it very hard to change course in that awesome hour.
On the other hand, if life and providence have taught us to reach beyond selí to other persons and to God, then the grace of God will empower us to follow Christ and so enter into glory.
The ultimate truth of human life is that all our searching leads to God. In Saint Augustine’s timeless words, “You have made us for yourself [O God) and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
This is something we know about every human being. He or she is made for God; there will always be an incompleteness until a person arríves at God.
—Henri Nouwen,
Welcoming Home
Each of us is on a journey toward the Father, following the path Jesus has already walked—from this world into eternal communion with God. But that final surrender, at the hour of death, isn’t something we suddenly muster. It’s the result of countless small choices that shape our hearts over time—choices to trust, to surrender, to reach beyond ourselves. In the context of mental health or addiction recovery, these choices might feel fragile, but they matter deeply. Every time we choose honesty over hiding, connection over isolation, or grace over shame, we are leaning toward God. As Michael Casey reminds us, we were made for Him, and there will always be a restlessness in our souls until we find our rest in Him. So today, in the slow work of healing, take heart—each step toward wholeness is a step toward the One who is already walking with you. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics