I used to sing a song in Church called, He that is in us. The first line is He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. I woke up singing it this morning and as usual I questioned whether I believe the words I was singing.
The idea is that God is stronger than any force of evil that can be found in the world is something that I do believe to be true. But as usual I also had a problem with the gender language, not just about God, who I believe is beyond gender but also in gendering the concept of evil male too. The problem was that simply to change one, other or both to read 'She' just creates the opposite problem and there was no way to change the lyrics to my satisfaction that could also scan with the music.
So I just began to try and think what I actually meant by what I was singing. What I mean by these words is, God is ultimately stronger than anything that the world can throw at us. In other words, it will be OK.
Now I must point out the difference between this sentiment and some other, well meaning and at heart lovely thoughts that I have seen used and indeed used myself for people in a time of grief, trauma or crisis.
For example: If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Or: God never gives you more than you can handle.
Both are intended to be positive statements which are designed to empower the person to keep going and there is nothing wrong with either. But they are loaded and potentially damaging too. Take the case of April Jones, the young Welsh 5 year old who went missing some time ago, or the shootings at a primary school in America. I am positive, that like many who have faced such levels of loss and grief they have felt that it is indeed more than they can handle. Even the slightest suggestion that these things happened to them because either God willed them to or because they have somehow seemed stronger than other people is nothing less than damaging. They may well eventually be able to handle it, or come through it. But what if they don't?
What if the illness takes their life? What if the grief consumes them to the point of complete breakdown or suicide? Does that mean there is not God or that God is so vengeful that She would not see them through?
NO is the simple answer. At least not the God that I am serving. But the simple idea that you will be OK maybe not now and something may even take everything you have, even your life is a powerful one. Because ultimately, the God that lives in us is greater than anything the world can throw at us, and whatever happens, you will be OK. Not wonderful or perfect but OK. That was one of the most powerful truths that anyone ever said to me and I have held onto it through so many things.
If you are going through what feels like Hell, if things are difficult now then having a faith simply means that you never go through it alone. And by that I am not just talking about God, because to me having faith means being called into community, out of isolation and into the world. It challenges you to reach out to other people, not just people of faith, but I have found no end of comfort in having that faith community around me too, but also to others in general. To try to live differently, to do better every day.
The thing that for me challenge me to do this I call God, the feeling that God causes for me that pushes me on I call faith. These are the words and phrases chosen by the home, culture and environment in which I was raised. They are words I am comfortable with which ultimately express my journey with something bigger than myself. But what is most important about these words and the concepts that they bring is simply that they drive me towards something...a connectedness that is able to transcend what for others may seem like boundaries. A connectedness that does not see division or isolation even when I am on my own, it is this that stands a chance of bringing people through the most difficult things in their lives. And my faith tells me that even when the physical body ends, that the connection does not stop. We are still part of something far greater than ourselves. And ultimately...we will be OK!!
Interesting. I concur on most of it - I have also discovered that the cliched language used by us as pastors in a world where people are not so ready to be reliant on a 'God', for want of a better word, they cannot feel or see evidence of but are looking for something fast moving and quick fixing, is not really relevant. The phases you have mentioned are indeed not necessarily relevant or positive. The only one I think I actually use anymore is
ReplyDelete'Everything is temporary'
which indicates that things WILL change, there will be an end to whatever it is. It certainly helps me.
Faith - I don't know about anymore. I used to have it. I had what I would call solid, umswerving blind faith. Now I have virtually none. I would say that is probably due to being in situations where I could not see God anymore. I used to see God in everything, now I only see people's mess. Sad, but true.
We are clearly part of something greater than ourselves, as people like Brian Cox have been showing us recently. Whether that involves a supernatural being who knows. It certainly involves an otherness, something else, which is not tangible, not explainable, not human. There is a thread running through everything.
The clear and solid Christian teaching which felt so safe and comfortable a few years ago, seems like a fictional soap opera now. Other things seem far more real and believable. Also - sad but true.
As far as God will never give you anything you cant handle.... I agree. There are clearly things you cant handle. Otherwise people would not give up. Certainly losing a child has to be one of those. At any age, I know, I would not get over that one.
in recent years I have certainly felt that I am going through things alone. And questioned why if there is indeed a God, would he/she/it/them/whoever let things happen to people. One can only come to the conclusion that things are clearly not as we have been taught. And we are - in fact - alone. What is even more annoying is the warblings of well meaning religious types who say, we dont have the answers, to why, we only just accept that we cant answer it. Doesnt really help or fill me with confidence. People need answers.
Actually - I dont know what any of this means really! LOL!!! But I am glad I do not wake up singing those songs too. I used to always have a song in my head. I guess being in a state of muddled confusion is somewhat less of a struggle than dealing with not understanding what Im singing. Which happened often. The theology of the song writer is often confusing and not relevant I find.
Who is God anyway?.... And if there is one.... Why???? So many questions why????????