Life is full of rough spots and challenges. Lots of things rob us of happiness and cause us to question things. We can't deny the challenges, questions, or tough spots by speaking cliches or giving pat answers. There is so much mystery to life and to our spiritual connection with our Creator that pat answers and cliches often miss.
One of the reasons that I am doing the Better Questions series at Community of Joy is that we need to look at the tough teachings of Jesus and not avoid them. Not so much so we can be pushed down, but so that we can struggle with the mystery of faith and go to the deeper level of trusting God that comes when we don't have the answers and have to say "I don't know". It's often in the wrestling that we gain greater or new insight. It's in the tough spots that we recognize our need for God. God never promised it would be easy and we have done God a great disservice when we lead others to think that he did. What he did promise was to be with us... to never leave us nor forsake us. So, in the midst of struggle... where is God? He's there... just look a little harder and you might see him. He might show up in the most unexpected ways and at the least likely times, but I am sure he is there. Not always there to rescue us, but always there to travel along with us.
One of the reasons that I am doing the Better Questions series at Community of Joy is that we need to look at the tough teachings of Jesus and not avoid them. Not so much so we can be pushed down, but so that we can struggle with the mystery of faith and go to the deeper level of trusting God that comes when we don't have the answers and have to say "I don't know". It's often in the wrestling that we gain greater or new insight. It's in the tough spots that we recognize our need for God. God never promised it would be easy and we have done God a great disservice when we lead others to think that he did. What he did promise was to be with us... to never leave us nor forsake us. So, in the midst of struggle... where is God? He's there... just look a little harder and you might see him. He might show up in the most unexpected ways and at the least likely times, but I am sure he is there. Not always there to rescue us, but always there to travel along with us.
The images above are classic renderings of the Genesis 22 story about Abraham's near sacrifice of his only son Isaac and God's provision of a lamb.
No comments:
Post a Comment