Grappling With Divinity

Contemplative Christian Reflections by Robert Van Valkenburgh

Grappling With Divinity.
Wrestling With God.
Returning To Love.


What I Write About

At Grappling With Divinity, I write from within the living stream of Christian mysticism and contemplative prayer, where faith is not mastered but practiced — slowly, honestly, and with reverence.

These reflections explore divine love as it meets us in suffering and joy, doubt and surrender, weakness and awakening. They trace the quiet work of conversion — the lifelong unfolding of grace that reshapes the heart and draws us deeper into union with God.

Here you will find meditations on Scripture, spiritual formation, the wisdom of the mystics, and the hidden movements of God within ordinary life.

This is not a place for easy answers.

It is a place for
Grappling With Divinity.
Wrestling With God.
Returning To Love.

A place where faith deepens through mystery, and where even our struggle becomes prayer.

Lectio Divina (Coming Soon)

My writing follows the ancient rhythm of lectio divina — listening, reflecting, praying, and resting in God. Here you’ll find guidance and reflections shaped by this contemplative way of reading Scripture for transformation, not just information.

Practice Lectio Divina →

Christian Mysticism (Coming Soon)

Christian mysticism is the path of deeper union with God. Drawing from the wisdom of the contemplative tradition, this section reflects on divine love, interior transformation, and the indwelling presence of God at the heart of ordinary life.

Explore Christian Mysticism

Spiritual Direction (Coming Soon)

Spiritual direction is the sacred practice of listening for God together. Rooted in the contemplative tradition and informed by my studies at Loyola University Chicago, this space explores discernment, surrender, and the quiet work of grace in everyday life.

Learn More About Spiritual Direction →


A Contemplative Rule Of Life

GRAPPLING WITH DIVINITY.
WRESTLING WITH GOD.
RETURNING TO LOVE.

Explore My Reflections

Following the contemplative rhythm of Lectio Divina
Moving from Attentive Reading (Lectio)
To Reflection (Meditatio)
To Prayerful Response (Oratio)
And finally into Silent Resting in God (Contemplatio)
Grappling With Divinity invites a slow unfolding of Scripture, Spiritual Wisdom, and Lived Experience.

  • Lectio: Divine Word

    Lectio: Divine Word

    John Tauler reflects on the gift of inner stillness, teaching that in silence and spiritual peace, the Divine Word of God can be born within our souls. This timeless Christian wisdom invites believers to seek grace, contemplation, and union with God through quiet surrender.

  • Oratio: Miracles Are We

    Oratio: Miracles Are We

    A reflection on the miracles of God’s grace that bring healing, transformation, and renewal to those who die to sin and are reborn in Christ. This devotional poem celebrates the new life believers have in Christ, proclaiming that we ourselves are living miracles of His mercy, love, and power.

  • Lectio: Unable To Love

    Lectio: Unable To Love

    Fyodor Dostoevsky offers a profound reflection on the nature of hell, describing it not as fire or torment, but as the unbearable suffering of being unable to love. This timeless insight challenges us to see love as essential to human existence and spiritual fulfillment, reminding us that separation from love is the greatest tragedy…

  • Oratio: Becoming Returning

    Oratio: Becoming Returning

    A poetic reflection on God as the eternal sustainer of life, the giver of every heartbeat, breath, and thought. Through His word, creation was spoken into existence, and by His mercy we are preserved each moment. This meditation celebrates His grace, mercy, and sustaining power, reminding us that all life flows from Him and…

  • Lectio: Not Good Enough

    Lectio: Not Good Enough

    Scott Hahn reminds us that sin is not always a desire for evil itself, but a settling for something less than God’s best. True fulfillment comes not from lesser goods, but from seeking the highest good—God alone.

  • Oratio: Never Withdrawn

    Oratio: Never Withdrawn

    A reflection on God’s boundless mercy and forgiveness, reminding us that no sin is too great for His love. No matter how far we stray, He patiently waits for our return with grace and compassion.

  • Lectio: When Your Enemy Falls

    Lectio: When Your Enemy Falls

    A reminder from Proverbs 24:17-18 to resist gloating over the downfall of others, even enemies. True wisdom calls us to humility and compassion, leaving justice to God rather than finding joy in another’s suffering.

  • Oratio: Falling Leaves

    Oratio: Falling Leaves

    A reflection on the changing seasons of life, reminding us that like leaves falling from a tree, we too must one day release the past and embrace what is to come. Death is not the end, but a transformation into new life. ~Robert Van Valkenburgh

  • Lectio: Devoted To Prayer

    Lectio: Devoted To Prayer

    A brief yet powerful call from Benedict of Nursia reminds us of the heart of the spiritual life: constancy in prayer. This reflection urges us to anchor our days in conversation with God, drawing strength, peace, and guidance through devotion.

  • Oratio: Only In Love

    Oratio: Only In Love

    A reflection on resisting the temptation to let anger rule your life, urging prayer to keep God at the center. True peace comes not through anger but through love, which God alone teaches and sustains. ~Robert Van Valkenburgh

  • The Yoke We Were Not Meant To Carry: Brother Lawrence and the Grace That Meets Our Powerlessness (Lectio Divina)

    What if the surrender you keep circling never comes by trying harder, but only by the trying finally giving out? Brother Lawrence asks for a total trust that sounds simple and costs everything, and this reflection sits with the exhaustion that finally lets God in.

  • Owe Nothing But Love: Theodoret of Cyrus on Love as the Fulfilling of the Law (Lectio Divina)

    What if the command to love was never a debt you could actually pay off? Theodoret of Cyrus reads Paul’s warning about owing nothing but love and finds something stranger than an obligation — a debt that grows the more it’s paid, rather than shrinking. This reflection sits with what it feels like to carry…

  • No Longer Carved in Stone: Augustine of Hippo and Love as God’s One Law (Lectio Divina)

    What if the law you can’t seem to keep was never meant to be kept from outside at all? Augustine insists something was written into you long before you ever tried, and failed, to obey a command pressed on you from without.