Renew me with a steadfast spirit

"A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast sprit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me." (Psalm 51: 12 – 13)

I confided this one liner to my diary in the Lent of 1999.

"My desire is that God will thoroughly renew me this Lent."

This is 2007. Have I been thoroughly renewed? Not as I had believed in February 1999. But I have become much wiser. The renewing and pruning process is ongoing. How does God do this for me? Through the 7-Way Plan which he gave me at the beginning of the Enterprise. The 7-Way Plan consists of the following elements:

• Prayer
  
• Word of God
  
• Eucharist
  
• Reconciliation
  
• Examen
  
• Spiritual Reading/Direction
  
• Ministry
  

These are the pruning tools.