Sunday, July 07, 2013
Sunday Reflection: In the hardest of times
The hardest of times always bring on doubt, of course. When a tsunami strikes or a tornado destroys a town or a child dies, so young, we can't help but wonder "How could a loving God, an all-powerful God, allow this?" I know that is the question that comes first to me.
That question, though, is just the start of a conversation within myself. Doubt makes me examine what I believe.
It drives me back to the most basic principle of all, which is this: There is a God, and it is not me. That is, if God exists, he is necessarily greater than I am-- I can not comprehend all that God is. The relationship is necessarily one of greater and lesser, and I am the lesser.
That, in turn, takes me to the humble acknowledgment that I can't know all of what God does, I don't know the plan, or even if there is a plan. The answer to that fervent question, that cry of "Why?" must be "I don't know," humbling as that is. Humbling. Humbling.
And in that humility, deep sadnesses are allowed, anger is understandable, frustration at our limited understanding is a part of it. We are built to feel those things, to live them when that is the season, just as there is a time for joy.
That sadness and anger and frustration are not weaknesses They are, in the hardest of times, a part of not being God.
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I went through this a couple of years ago. My husband is going through it now. That painting you featured--that says it all.
The human tendency to doubt is something for which we should be grateful. The call to faith is a request to willingly engage our hearts and minds and attune them with principles based upon the existence of entities that we have reasonable but uncertain grounds for believing exist. There must be grounds for doubt as well as belief so that decision to believe is more truly a choice, and, therefore, more of a personal investment. When we have a choice to believe, we act and are not acted upon. When faced with doubt, we can use it as an excuse to stroll through Babylon's tempting streets, or we can use the doubt to fuel study and prayer that nourishes faith's roots. What we embrace, then, more accurately reflects who we are and what we love.
Ultimately, heeding the call to faith is an act of obedience. And if there is no opposition to faith, then there is no choice. Where there is no choice, there is no obedience. The existence of doubt, then, is necessary for true faith to exist.
Ultimately, heeding the call to faith is an act of obedience. And if there is no opposition to faith, then there is no choice. Where there is no choice, there is no obedience. The existence of doubt, then, is necessary for true faith to exist.
# posted by 
: 5:08 PM
: 5:08 PM
The human tendency to doubt is something for which we should be grateful. The call to faith is a request to willingly engage our hearts and minds and attune them with principles based upon the existence of entities that we have reasonable but uncertain grounds for believing exist. There must be grounds for doubt as well as belief so that decision to believe is more truly a choice, and, therefore, more of a personal investment. When we have a choice to believe, we act and are not acted upon. When faced with doubt, we can use it as an excuse to stroll through Babylon's tempting streets, or we can use the doubt to fuel study and prayer that nourishes faith's roots. What we embrace, then, more accurately reflects who we are and what we love.
Ultimately, heeding the call to faith is an act of obedience. And if there is no opposition to faith, then there is no choice. Where there is no choice, there is no obedience. The existence of doubt, then, is necessary for true faith to exist.
Ultimately, heeding the call to faith is an act of obedience. And if there is no opposition to faith, then there is no choice. Where there is no choice, there is no obedience. The existence of doubt, then, is necessary for true faith to exist.
# posted by : 5:08 PM
: 5:08 PM
http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2292#comic
This post reminded me, somewhat, of this cartoon.
This post reminded me, somewhat, of this cartoon.
God made us in His image. He tells us so. He did not make us stupid. That would not be in His image. But, He knows we are imperfect. We know we are imperfect.
To have doubt is the seed of faith. We cannot accept our doubt without faith. Perhaps we should we accept our faith without doubt, but to doubt is simply human, and that is what we are. That is part of our imperfection and no secret to God. The trying times do not test our faith, they prove it. God does not promise us a happy life, or a life without trial; that we will always win, or survive battles with cancer, bullets, or knives, only a place by Him when the time comes. That is the only promise God makes. Surely God knows that we have doubt, and it must make Him smile.
It is our deceit to think we are not intelligent enough to reason through this on our own, or to think that one of us surely must be able to interpret the Bible just like we think it should be interpreted – or more to the point, just like "they" think it should be interpreted. But the fact is that the Bible was written by men, albeit inspired by God. As soon as their words were fashioned from ink, the matter was subject to interpretation. Translation from language to language is an imperfect science, made even more imperfect by our human politics, our human need for power, our very human egos, let alone the intention of the author.
If God wanted our doubt to subside, he could have easily created a Bible that is perfectly interpretable. But, He didn’t. So, we still doubt. It must make Him smile.
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To have doubt is the seed of faith. We cannot accept our doubt without faith. Perhaps we should we accept our faith without doubt, but to doubt is simply human, and that is what we are. That is part of our imperfection and no secret to God. The trying times do not test our faith, they prove it. God does not promise us a happy life, or a life without trial; that we will always win, or survive battles with cancer, bullets, or knives, only a place by Him when the time comes. That is the only promise God makes. Surely God knows that we have doubt, and it must make Him smile.
It is our deceit to think we are not intelligent enough to reason through this on our own, or to think that one of us surely must be able to interpret the Bible just like we think it should be interpreted – or more to the point, just like "they" think it should be interpreted. But the fact is that the Bible was written by men, albeit inspired by God. As soon as their words were fashioned from ink, the matter was subject to interpretation. Translation from language to language is an imperfect science, made even more imperfect by our human politics, our human need for power, our very human egos, let alone the intention of the author.
If God wanted our doubt to subside, he could have easily created a Bible that is perfectly interpretable. But, He didn’t. So, we still doubt. It must make Him smile.
# posted by : 1:51 PM
: 1:51 PM << Home
