Within

​“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing palms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God…” (Colossians 3:16-17)

This verse popped up other day, in a moment of parenting frustration when I was not living into “all wisdom” in my efforts to “teach and admonish” my teenage son. If you are a parent, manager, coach, instructor, or counselor, you know the feeling – our teaching is not always well received, and the enemy loves to focus our attention on areas where we don’t feel successful. My first impulse is often to withdraw in defeat rather than to burst into songs of gratitude.

Discouragement highlights the problem, which is forgetting that there is a deeper source of wisdom than myself: God dwelling within. The invitation to dwell within God is always there, with God as our ultimate place of safe and nourishing shelter. But God also dwells within us!

Our loving God is closer than our breath, fueling us with what we need from the core of our being. It takes times of prayer, silence, and spiritual reflection to clear away the clutter and connect with Christ who dwells in us richly. He’s always there, whether we notice or not.

A classic spiritual text by St. Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle, suggests that our soul is like a diamond or clear crystal castle with many layers, and that God dwells at the center like a bright sun, shining in such a way as to have “given the soul all her brilliance and beauty.”

You will shine radiantly, not because you’re good at what you do (or because others respond favorably), but because the shine of God’s beautiful light will illuminate the otherwise dark diamond castle of your soul. God is within you, and within me too, and it’s beautiful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly!

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Counseling for adults, teens, and couples is available through my new private practice, Dwell Psychological Services, for clients in Grand Rapids, MI, and throughout all 42 PsyPact states. Non-clinical, mindfulness coaching is available anywhere in the world for individuals or groups seeking to strengthen their understanding of mindfulness theory and practice. More information can be found at www.DwellPsychological.com or www.bit.ly/IreneKraegel.