Making All Things New: An Invitation to the Spiritual Life

In this book, Nouwen writes that the key to living a spiritual life is by understanding the difference between being busy and being fulfilled. In our modern life, he writes, "There is always something else we should have remembered, done or said...Thus, although we are very busy, we also have a lingering feeling of never really fulfilling our obligations." The solution is not a change of place, or partner, or promise. The solution lies in a change of heart. Nouwen suggests making your priorities the engine of your actions, rather than your actions the engine of your priorities. Making your spiritual center your true center will go a long way toward making your life fulfilling, rather than just full.

This is one of Nouwen's shorter books and can be read in a couple of hours. It is written in three primary sections as many of his books are structured: "All These Other Things", "His Kingdom First", and "Set Your Hearts". I found the first section to be the best. He successfully illustrates numerous things in our lives that leave us "filled, yet unfulfilled". He touches on worry, depression and resentment. He gives wonderful guidance in centering our busy lives with a focus on the Kingdom. Nouwen successfully illustrates that even the busy and worry filled life can be the spiritual life if it is lived in the "active presence of God's Spirit".

Henri Nouwen is a spiritual father. His book, Making All Things New, is simply another reminder of his signifigant contribution to the Christian community and the larger community. This short book brings together Nouwen's keen insight into the human condition and the depth and maturity of his faith, resulting in a spiritual masterpiece. With clarity and understanding, he diagnoses the problem and offers the cure. The message is straightforward, but far from trite. He takes historic-actually, eternal-truths and presents them,like all gifted writers, in new and fresh ways. For me this book is actually a crystallization of the wisdom found in such books as Willard's The Divine Conspiracy and Foster's The Celebration of Discipline. It cuts to the core of a life with God and the path to get there.

Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) writes in a comforting style. When I read this book, I feel drawn to a peaceful, spiritual centre. I, too, had found it difficult to "find" GOD in my meditations. Henri Nouwen explains, "The beginning of the spiritual life is often difficult not only because the powers which cause us to worry are so strong but also because the presence of God's Spirit seems barely noticeable. If, however, we are willing to live a life of prayer and practice the disciplines of solitude and community, a new hunger will make itself known. This new hunger is the first sign of God's presence. When we remain attentive to this divine presence, we will be led always deeper into the kingdom. There, to our joyful surprise, we will discover that the power of our worries is waking and all things are being made new." Since reading this book, I have become away of being drawn to develop my own spiritual relationship. Without knowing exactly the source of this power, I nonetheless can feel my spiritual life growing. I feel I now understand a bit more clearly what a spiritual life is, and I certainly have found a desire to live it. If you are interested in developing a spiritual relationship, this book will be interesting to you.

Since we have the need and have to fight for time to spend with God on a hourly, daily, weekly basis. Nouwen points out our pressures in this culture and points us to solitude before God and a call to deeper community with those around us, so we can start or continue to live in obedience to God. A very profound yet simple approach that all of us can participate in.