Grace strikes us
when we walk through the dark valley of an empty and meaningless life…
when, year after year,
the longed for perfection
does not appear,
when the old compulsions rage within us as they have for decades, when despair destroys all joy and courage.
Sometimes at that moment a ray of light breaks into our darkness,
and it is as though a voice were saying,
‘ You are accepted.
You are accepted,
accepted by that which is greater than you,
and the name of which you do not know.
Do not ask for the name now;
perhaps you will find it later.
Do not do anything now;
perhaps later you will do much.
Do not seek anything, do not perform anything,
do not intend anything.
Simply accept the fact that you are accepted.’
If that happens to us,
we experience grace.
paul tillich
