Part X of our journey through Fr Martin Laird's A Sunlit Absence puts us squarely in the middle of the book. This is the second of three treatments of chapter four of the book. As we wade deeper into these waters, Josh wants to give listeners participating more freedom to not only stop listening and working through the book but to even perhaps take a break from the Invitation Podcast altogether. The awkward, strange, and even painful discovery is that as we move closer to God we are invited into more and more sacrifice, more death of self, more shifting of our priorities, and surprisingly more bewilderment. During the time of covid-19, anti-racism protests, and a presidential race we need to find ways to be careful and patient with ourselves. Further commitment to spiritual discipline can anchor us, yet we cannot strive or force ourselves along the way. Sacrifice always needs to be a response to cooperate with and deepen our love of God. If we attempt to earn God's love through contemplative prayer in a spirit of striving, we will drown. For those who sense the Holy Spirit's leading to go further into the discipline of prayer yet who would like further guidance along the way, please consider the Invitation School of Prayer launching this September with online resources for your growth: www.invitationpodcast.org/school-of-prayer Also, make sure to subscribe: www.invitationpodcast.org/subscribe