Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
Is our faith Pollyanna? Don’t miss the little words!
On this the first day of Summer I would like to share with you two oft quoted passages from the Bible. There are big themes present here, but in each verse, there is also a little word that is critical.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
For the past 40 years I have walked side by side, hand in hand with the people of God. I have held hands with young couples and old as they exchanged sacred wedding vows, knowing at some level that one of them would need to love the other to death. I have held the hands of young mothers moments after they earned that title with hard labor. I have held the weakened hands of the dying and the quivering hands of the grief stricken left behind. The most apparent and the most overlooked of all observations is quite simple: the human journey is hard. Life is hard, every human journey is fraught with detours and disappointments. Relationships are hard, families are complicated, aging bodies decay, and the charade of confidence that we often present in public offers us little comfort as it disguises our deep-seated insecurities. If you think that someone you know has had a charmed life, free from disappointment or despair, then you simply don’t know them.
Life is hard, but as people of faith we know that we should give thanks in all circumstances, that God is working for good in all things. Tortured frail flesh, that is what we are, and yet we are somehow to take comfort in God’s providence. If we suppose that everything that happens to us is a part of God’s mysterious plan, is it any wonder then that sceptics see our faith as a crutch, naive Christians living in a Pollyanna world?
The key to this dilemma is found in the little word. The little word in both passages is “IN”. “In” not “for.” The text does not say, “give thanks FOR all circumstances.” The text reminds us that IN the midst of our darkest times, in human despair, when we have been betrayed, or when our dreams are shattered that we are not alone. God is not done with us; we have not been abandoned. There are trials and temptations in every life, no one escapes the dangerous frailty of the human journey. But let’s be very clear; the hard knocks, bad breaks, random disasters and diseases that we experience do not come from God. Much of what happens among humans is contrary to the will of God. Contrary to the one who desires only abundant life for us.
It is heresy to say that God sends us cancer to teach a lesson or that God took the life of our child in order to test our faith. In our attempt to find comfort we must not make God into a monster, a mad scientist, or a deity whose cruel crimes would lead to a prison term on earth. The pitfalls of life are real, a part of every human story, there is nothing new under the sun. But the promise is this; in the midst of brokenness there is always an opportunity for good, for growth, for compassion, for human kindness, hope is ever present even when surrounded by darkness. We do not give thanks to God FOR all circumstances but IN all circumstances, we can give thanks to the one who loves us always, forgives us always and will never leave our side. In life or death, in good times and bad, in seasons of plenty and in seasons of want, our God is good, our God is with us, our hope is found not in the ever-changing circumstances of life, our hope is found only in God’s love.
Our faith should not be Pollyanna, our faith should be honest and humble, our faith should lead us to greater compassion and empathy.
One beggar, telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your,
Pastor Jim
PS: If you would like to respond directly to Pastor Jim, please email rvlindus@whidbey.com.
