While running two hours in the heat, I fussed with my brain. I was working hard to put it in the right place, by thinking, thinking, thinking – and, of course, it didn’t help. Finally, I heard an intuitive voice that said: “How many times do I have to tell you? You can’t bring the mind under control by thinking!”
I relaxed and thought, “I’ll sit back and watch my brain rattle on.” I realized: God just wants to have fun. And there’s no fun where there isn’t heart. So I let my brain drool.
When I came onto the spiritual path, I was very uptight, because I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to measure up to God’s impossibly high standards, and that He wouldn’t “like” me unless I could. At the time, a respected spiritual counselor told me, “Learn to relax and enjoy the spiritual path.” Drooling mentally and sharing the day with God, I felt Him closer than when I was trying to hammer my brain into shape. God was having fun.
There’s got to be a better way to tame the mind than by strugglesome pushing and shoving, a more natural way. That attunement comes most easily when I relax and run with God as a friend.
I’m this guy who’s trying to be a runner, this guy who grew up in California’s San Joaquin Valley spent his summers swimming and riding his bike, and had a cute dog named Mutt. I’m not so different from that little guy. Prayers without heart are only noise. But it’s amazing how little realness it takes to draw Him near.
