Jennifer
Hunt about her journey into greater contentment in the midst of all the things
that can happen to make life less than pleasant – from minor irritations to
major problems. She tagged me into her note and I shared a response from my experience
with her that I’m posting her to pass on to others. Just one person’s shifting
positions that allows me to see more clearly the choices I have in living loved
and loving life.
I began practicing and teaching a simply-hard tool and a
point-of-view shift that helps me keep perspective on the sort of things you
mentioned. The tool is simply the intentional practice of gratitude about
everything and everyone. It’s not as easy as it seems to some to be grateful
for every situation and every person we encounter. Some people are easy but I
find it most helpful to discover something for which I am grateful for the more
“challenging” situations with people.
I’m making it a daily practice as I go to bed to review my day
and find something to be grateful for in each and every encounter. If you want
to keep your heart open, intentionally practicing gratitude is a key.
The point-of-view shift is about a conscious awareness of
Trinitarian inclusion. Most of us think about God being “out there somewhere”
and our task is to get from where we are to where He is. Frankly, most of us
Evangelicals (and Christians generally) are not practicing Trinitarians and at
best Tri-theists (we know there are three but have no idea the difference it
makes in everyday living).
If our image of God is “out there” and our task is to “get
closer” we will work at practices that we think are needed (repent, believe,
have faith, tithe, worship, etc.). Of course our conscience often reminds us
that we haven’t done any of these things consistently “enough.” or “these
difficult things wouldn’t be happening.” So we go back square one and try to do
them “more right” – and, of course, want others to do it right too!
That image is a total contradiction to what Paul declares as
part of the mystery of our adoption [Eph 1] revealed in Christ’s Incarnation,
Resurrection and Ascension – “For in him all things were created: things in
heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers
or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is
before all things, and in him all things hold together.” [Col 1:16-17]. If “all
things” means “all things” and we are part of “all things” then God is not “out
there but we are “included on the inside the life of the Trinity.” The task is
not to “get there” but to “wake up” to what Christ has done for all humanity.
We can be inside and as blind to it as the elder brother was to
his inclusion. He had only to accept that he was already included and that his
father’s choice to include his brother was not his to worry about. All either
brother had to do was to “accept the acceptance” that was already available.
In the Incarnation, the Son came to bring us [here and now] into
the presence of Father and Spirit with all of our crap. In the Ascension the
Son continues in his resurrected flesh to intercede and explain our mumblings
and groaning in our flesh to his Father as one who knows what it’s like to be
us.
I’ve also been praying a short sentence that may make sense to
you and that’s been helpful for me and my contentment:” Father, what don’t I
understand about you, that if I did, I’d be less anxious.”
Blessings
Dr.
Paul
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