May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression and exploitation of people
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them
And turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
This poem is a Franciscan Benediction found in Phillip Yancey’s book Prayer. I read it and I start burning inside. My heart boils over as I experience a holy anger at the complacence in my own life and in the Christian community. There must be more. This can’t be it…
We seem to easily forget, but Jesus invites us all into uncomfortable places. He invites us into places of pain, suffering and anger. He invites us into frustration and He awakens our heart so that we may begin to feel what He feels for this world.
When this happens, we have a choice; to harden our hearts or to pursue Christ. We can either make it about us again, continuing to chug along with a meaningless self-centred existence, or we can turn off the TV, get off the couch, kick our apathy, and start trying to do something, anything, that will bring about change.
It is in these moments that the baggage that we hold so tightly to and our desires for fame and fortune fade into obscurity. All of a sudden our future, our time, our talents, must be used to make a difference in this world. In one sense we are ruined, on another we have never being more alive.
So I encourage you to re-read the benediction and to make it a prayer. A personal moment with you and God, where you invite Him to bless you with discomfort, anger, tears, and foolishness to believe you can make a difference. That is, not to build our own little empire, but to build the Kingdom of God. Not to build our fame, but to build His.
And be warned, it is a wonderfully dangerous prayer to pray.
2 comments:
In reference to Keith’s message on Nov 18th what do I do because I’ve had alls I cans take and I canst stansit any more?
When I here or read messages about the hard things of the Bible that have been points of contention in the church like pre-destination and creation I start to feel like Popeye so I study, pray and write what I think. I have written letters but I haven't ever gotten meaningful responses. How do I find out if what I think have found to be true is a jewel of insight or junk?
I know I need to go to the source, but radio preachers are not really approachable I have found out. I thought about getting on a plane and attending their church one Sunday but that isn’t a sure thing; and I wouldn’t want to come off as some crazy stalker…
I wish there was a way of having my studies evaluated and if found true passed on with approvals up a chain to the source, or a way of putting my studies in a place that someone who was able to pass them along could see them.
So can someone help me find the door to nail my thesis to?
This is my passion. Eric
keith,
i too have that desire to live with reckless abandon and to live the adventure of the spirit led life..."the wind blows where it pleases. you hear the sound, but you don't know where the wind comes from or where it's going. that's the way it is with everyone born of the Spirit." jn. 3:8 i did feel the rise in my spirit as i read the prayer. i agree with much of what you said and yet, i don't agree about the do something, anything to just be doing something. without revelation from the Father what i do is hit and miss, or filthy rags, as He calls it. i encourage you to seek revelation from Him. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Prov. 16:9 keep fanning the flames of your desire to know Him more and to live by His Spirit more...pressing in. i love it when He directs me, i obey whether i understand or not, and the only way i can explain the outcome is that it was the Father and His presence and revelation and i was a part of His story. blessings to you keith
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