Monday, February 18, 2008
Handling Disappointment
MMI is looking at what happens when confronted with spiritual crisis.
Sadly, most people I think deal reasonable well with disappoints in family and loved ones, but I know of little that can crush a spirit faster than to be crushed by the church. To be able to handle such an onslaught requires insight and maturity that is beyond many, if not most, Christians and frankly is the reason behind much of the "backsliding" that I have seen.
Despite the fact that the church is flawed as we are individually, it is supposed to deal with those flaws, through the mechanism of community, much more adeptly than we do in personal settings. So, when you are screwed by one soul, there is supposed to be some other soul to move along side you and offer you comfort and solace and help guide you towards healing.
But what so often happens is that the screwer lines up the politics such that you, the offended party, ends up ostracized, outcast, and adrift. Pretty hard to find God in those circumstances unless you are already quite secure in your relationship with Him.
Am I crying sour grapes here, is this the pride of envy to which the MMI author refers? Well, certainly in such circumstances we need to enter into self examination, discover our own weaknesses and work on them, but there is often much more to the situation than that. Most of one's own weaknesses are not worthy of the kind of outcasting that often happens in these circumstances. Such is the result of the pride of the offender, putting their political position in front of the call to minister to the weak.
The question that rings in my mind in these circumstances is "Where is justice?" Why are the offenders allowed to stay in the church, while the offended find themselves on the outside?
Here is where faith is required. God has plans, but I do not know what they are. And I note that the movement of Christ Himself was outside the releigious mainstream and institutions of His time. Food for thought...
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We’re kicking this study off on a bruising, but all-too-common experience that can leave your teeth on edge and bitterness in your heart. Psalm 73 is our passage and the title is “When You Get a Raw Deal.” Anybody here know what I’m talking about? When you did the right thing, but got the back of the hand anyway. Have you ever been betrayed? Ever been gossiped about? Who did you in financially? Who put the screws to you? Who did something unfair to you at work? Maybe it happened at home with a parent or grandparent, your husband or wife or best friend.His advice is good, but he is leaving out one very important person who can "put the screws to you" - THE CHURCH.
Sadly, most people I think deal reasonable well with disappoints in family and loved ones, but I know of little that can crush a spirit faster than to be crushed by the church. To be able to handle such an onslaught requires insight and maturity that is beyond many, if not most, Christians and frankly is the reason behind much of the "backsliding" that I have seen.
Despite the fact that the church is flawed as we are individually, it is supposed to deal with those flaws, through the mechanism of community, much more adeptly than we do in personal settings. So, when you are screwed by one soul, there is supposed to be some other soul to move along side you and offer you comfort and solace and help guide you towards healing.
But what so often happens is that the screwer lines up the politics such that you, the offended party, ends up ostracized, outcast, and adrift. Pretty hard to find God in those circumstances unless you are already quite secure in your relationship with Him.
Am I crying sour grapes here, is this the pride of envy to which the MMI author refers? Well, certainly in such circumstances we need to enter into self examination, discover our own weaknesses and work on them, but there is often much more to the situation than that. Most of one's own weaknesses are not worthy of the kind of outcasting that often happens in these circumstances. Such is the result of the pride of the offender, putting their political position in front of the call to minister to the weak.
The question that rings in my mind in these circumstances is "Where is justice?" Why are the offenders allowed to stay in the church, while the offended find themselves on the outside?
Here is where faith is required. God has plans, but I do not know what they are. And I note that the movement of Christ Himself was outside the releigious mainstream and institutions of His time. Food for thought...
Technorati Tags:church, hurt, pain, outcast
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