When We Stop Trying So Hard - Fr. Michael Simone 8.23.26

Have you ever had one of those days that you planned down to the last detail? You picked the right restaurant, made sure everyone could make it, and thought through the logistics, the timing, the weather—you even knew what topics of conversation you wanted to bring up…everything that needed to line up for the day to be fun. And then… somehow, it just wasn’t. And then there are those other days. You get a good night’s sleep. You eat a good meal. You meet up with friends. You have a general understanding of the structure of the day but you don’t have much of an agenda. You just let the day unfold—and somehow, you end up laughing harder, feeling more connected, and having way more fun than you ever could have planned. You created space for joy, spontaneity, and connection—and fun became the byproduct. In some ways, spirituality works a lot like that. Sometimes we think we have to figure everything out. We have to pray the right way, understand the right things, have the perfect relationship with God, or somehow make ourselves more spiritual. But what if we don't have to force it? What if our job is simply to create space for God—and then let God do what God does? Prayer. Meditation. Honest reflection. Simply paying attention to what’s happening inside of us. These things don't necessarily produce some immediate, dramatic spiritual breakthrough. But they create the conditions for something to grow. And sometimes, when we stop trying so hard to make something happen, we discover that God has been working all along. Today, Father Michael Simone reminds us that wherever we are on our spiritual journey, we don't have to have it all figured out.