In Anne Lamott's book "Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers," she shares a story about a nun who persistently prayed for God to remove her character flaws. Despite her dedication to this prayer, she never received the answer she hoped for until many years later. The response she ultimately received from God was a revelation: rather than taking her defects away, she needed to actively relinquish them.
This profound message emphasizes the importance of personal agency in the process of spiritual growth. It suggests that instead of waiting for divine intervention to solve our problems, we must take an active role in surrendering our burdens. This teaching can serve as a powerful reminder that transformation often requires our participation and willingness to let go of what holds us back.