What if one day we lost everything? What if life as we know was one day taken from us, leaving us to continue on with the painful memory of loss and the confusion of trying to make sense in a strange new set of circumstances? On another blog (click on the title for the link), Donna poses a similar question. The following was my comment and I though I would post this on my blog too.
The death of a son was enough to tear down the foundation of my faith. After the death of my son, the only thing I was sure of was that there had to be a God or else this life was nothing but a cruel joke that made even less sense then a life originating from God yet contains immense human suffering.
At the moment of realizing you are not sure about anything in terms of religious faith, it becomes quite a lonely world. You may still "go to church" but you have no adequate words to express the present crisis of faith.
For me, eventually I began to read scripture again. I read it with an open mind but also with a mind-set that was not sure if I would find what I was looking for. I didn't but I also did. I didn't find just another manual with a set of instructions on how to adhere to another religion nor did I find the answer to why human suffering exists. What I found was a witness to life and hope. I understood at that moment why these pages of scripture were described as Divine Revelation. I understood why those who read these scriptures before have passed them down. For in them I not only found my own story setting and conflict, I also found the climax and resolution -- the promise that a crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ is the reality of hope -- a hope that says the present suffering is not the end of the story. This was truly a liberating moment and still is.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
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7 comments:
Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your comment. You made me think even deeper about the possibilities of "starting over".
I am not sure I would have rebuilt my faith as solidly as you have had I gone through the same loss. I do appreciate your sharing your heart.
Ah! Who said I rebuilt a solid faith? It always feels fragile to me, yet I press on.
Rex, I can't never imagine the pain you felt, my heart breaks for you. I am glad you have come through.
I don't know if he ever stops by this blog to read, but I should tell everyone how God used John Mark Hicks to help restore hope again. It was after hearing brother Hicks speak about his own spiritual journey from suffering to suffering with hope that I asked him how one learns how to pray again. I don't remeber his exact answer but it pointed me to the Romans 8 and the conclusion that Paul proclaims in that chapter. At the time, as I have said in this post, nothing made sense. But it was at that time when I went back to scripture to read it as one with a broken faith seeking understanding.
Good Day :) God is Love, May you experience God's Love this Day, may we really learn to Praise him in all things :) Lets Share God's Love today :) You are Loved!
k. rex,
i recall having a roomate for a short course at harding grad several years ago from NY and i was thinking it was ithaca ... would that have been you?
shalom,
bobby valentine
No, to my loss, it was not me. I have only lived in Ithaca since January, having spent the previous four years in Memphis, TN.
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