A Blessing for One Who is Learning
May God grant you
patience as a learner.
For it is never easy to sit in the tension
between what is known and not yet known—
the tediousness of unlearning and relearning
what was once understood,
before the plates shifted and the continents settled.
May Christ grant you stamina
to walk the labyrinth of a learner,
until the way opens inside you.
For the road is long,
therefore, we will companion you—
thrilled to explore the interior of your mind
where the landscape is always changing.
And may the Spirit grant you courage
as you risk stepping out
on limbs which have not yet been tested.
For to learn is to be vulnerable
and a drop of cynicism can poison the body;
therefore, we’ll be the anti-venom which makes you bold,
for learning is always sacred,
and failure need never be fatal.
In the name of God our Teacher,
Christ our Companion,
And the Spirit of all wisdom,
Amen
∞
Poems serve to name what is.
Prayers help us name who God is.
Blessings invite us name our hope.
May these words for sharing nourish your brain and the spirit in private moments and as you share them with loved ones to comfort, mark occasions, and invite us to remember the nonviolent, nonpunishing, unconditionally forgiving image of God reflected in Jesus.
Please reach out to share words you’ve found helpful for you and your community.
Connect with friends who are also interested in the relationship between scripture, theology, and neuroscience by following us @thebrainandthespirit.
Listening with you,
Originally published:
The Brain & the Spirit, Chapter 3, A Cup of Safety, A Cup of Stress, “A Blessing for One Who Is Learning,” p. 73
Further reading:
Systematic Theology: Theological Anthropology, Hamartiology, Pneumatology
