You Cannot Go Back, But You Can Begin Again

“The LORD God therefore banished him from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he had been taken. He expelled the man, stationing the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword east of the Garden of Eden, to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Genesis 3:23–24

I recently reread The Soul of a Pilgrim by Christine Valters Paintner.

In each chapter, she invites the reader to pray lectio divina with a Scripture passage. The passage above comes from Chapter 1, “The Practice of Hearing the Call and Responding.”

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Lectio Divina

Lectio divina means sacred reading.

It is a slow, prayerful way to read Scripture.

Here is how I practice it.

I find a comfortable position where I can remain alert but relaxed.

I read the selected Scripture once or twice slowly.

Then I notice what words or phrases shimmer.

What draws my attention?

What seems to invite me to pause?

Then I read the passage again and allow those words or phrases to speak to me.

What might God be saying?

What is the invitation for me right now?

After this, I rest in God for a few minutes.

Then I return to the present moment.

Sometimes I journal what I noticed.

I like to place these messages on paper so I can come back to them again. Many of them contain future actions that I sense God has birthed within me.

What Shimmered for Me

As I prayed with this passage, a few words stood out:

Banished.

Expelled.

Guard.

Till.

At first, these words felt harsh.

But as I sat with them, I began to notice something.

I cannot go back in time.

The door to the past has closed.

I have been expelled from yesterday.

Not as punishment.

But as an invitation to live today.

I punish myself when I stew over what I did not do.

I wish I had spent more time with my children or my wife.

I wish I had volunteered for that assignment at work instead of being afraid to try something new.

I wish I had been more present.

These thoughts can keep me trapped in the past.

But God invites me to return to now.

To this moment.

To this day.

Be Present Today

I sense God inviting me to be more present.

Present when I am with people.

Present when I read a book.

Present when I watch a movie.

Present when I take a walk with my wife, family, or dog.

Present to the warmth of the sun.

The gentle breeze.

The fireplace aromas.

The holiday lights.

The sights, sounds, smells, and textures of ordinary life.

Life is happening now.

God is present now.

The past cannot be changed.

But today can be received.

Till the Soil Before You

The word till also stayed with me.

To till the soil is to break open the ground so something new can grow.

That feels like the invitation.

I cannot return to the garden of yesterday.

But I can till the soil in front of me today.

I can begin again.

I can listen.

I can trust.

I can take the next step.

How do I continue to till the soil?

I continue my centering prayer sits with God.

I sit in silence.

I let go.

I consent to God’s presence and action within me.

I trust that God will reveal the next step in the silence.

And when God does, I must get up and take action.

God loves me.

God knows what is best for me.

God is a constant presence of love, wisdom, strength, and patience.

Resting in God

After this prayerful reading, I sat in silence for a minute or two.

Then I wrote what I sensed in my journal.

That is often how lectio divina works for me.

I especially like to practice it before I go to sleep at night.

The final step becomes rest.

I rest in God as I sleep.

And I like to think that I continue to rest in God until I wake in the morning.

Go Further

If you would like to explore lectio divina more deeply, I recommend:

Lectio Divina: The Sacred Art by Christine Valters Paintner

Meeting God in Scripture: A Hands-On Guide to Lectio Divina by Jan Johnson

Christine Valters Paintner writes:

“Lectio divina is not about acquiring head knowledge of Scripture, but about a profound encounter with the heart of God.”

That is the invitation.

Not to master Scripture.

But to meet God there.

To listen.

To receive.

To respond.

A Simple Invitation

If you feel stuck in yesterday, perhaps this is your invitation too.

You cannot go back.

But you can begin again.

Sit quietly.

Listen.

Let God show you the soil that is right in front of you.

Then take the next step.

If you are new to centering prayer and would like a simple place to begin, I created a free guide to help you sit quietly with God.

Download the free Centering Prayer guide here.

What word or phrase is shimmering for you today?