Being With God...While Letting Him Be God (Part 5)

God's mystery can actually lead to prayer, surrender and trust. 

When we draw close to God as bigger than us, we actually learn more about the mystery in our own lives, and find confidence to trust Him in areas of uncertainty. 

In surrender to God's mystery our hearts are softened and we are actually opened up to Him. This is reassuring because His mystery is always paired with His goodness, control, wisdom and power. 

Being With God...While Letting Him Be God (Part 4)

God's transcendence was even more pervasive in the mindset of ancient church leaders, than those writers and thinkers driving the spiritual formation movement.

Since Jesus' day, those who encouraged a deepening devotional life, a rich prayer life, a life centered on being with God, have 

leaned on and worshiped God as transcendent and immanent. 

(see Being With God...While Letting Him Be God: Part 2)

Their understanding of God's transcendence shaped their prayer life, and so their beliefs of His closeness.  

Being With God...While Letting Him Be God (Part 3)

We can actually 

relate to God 

and 

be with God 

because of 

His beyond-us-ness. 

(see Being With God...While Letting Him Be God: Part 2)

It is the characteristics of God which are inaccessible and un-relatable that actually enable and fuel His desire to relate to us. 

Being With God...While Letting Him Be God (Part 2)

The Spiritual Formation movement, has emphasized the immanence of God:

a.k.a. being with God. 

Immanence is God's closeness, the truth and experience that He is always with us 


(see "Being with God...While Letting Him Be God: Part 1).
The practice of being with God is drawn from the major figures in Church history who communed with God in practical, everyday ways. These ancient sources of spiritual reform have been tapped into by the modern spiritual formation movement. 

The movement's goal is to see and experience God in the everyday, for Him to be relevant in daily activities. 

Being With God...While Letting Him Be God (Part 1)

Have you ever slipped into the pattern of a pocket Jesus? A little figurine who stays in our pocket until life gets tough. We pull Him out like a watch, and instead of checking the time, we check our conscience. 

For others, relationship with Jesus is like a Redbull or 5-hour Energy shot, just take a sip when spiritual energy gets low.  It is good for us to rest in Jesus as our friend, but if we neglect him like a friend, the something is amiss...

This is a crucial tension in the Christian walk, to walk with Jesus as a friend while allowing Him to remain our God.
A key to embodying this tension is knowing and experiencing God's transcendence and his immanence. 

God's transcendence is His bigness, His beyond-us-ness. A place you might experience this is on top of half dome at sunrise, or staring up at a night into a star studded sky.

His immanence is His closeness, His always-with-us-ness. A place you might experience this is in the answering of a specific prayer or or in seeing God's faithfulness in a personal struggle through a friend.





Recent spiritual formation in the church has emphasized being "with" God. I.e. "being with" God throughout daily activities, rather than "doing" more. A now common phrase is "we are human beings not human doings". 

This view which is pervasive not only because of it's catchy sound, but because it is meeting the need for rest, simplicity, and relationship which is at such a deficit in American culture.

parents and children spend only 14.5 minutes per day talking to each other. That is less time than a football quarter and certainly much less time than most people spend commuting to work.*

“The average workweek is now up to 47 hours, four more than two decades ago. A Gallup Poll found that 44 percent of Americans call themselves ‘workaholics.’”**

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 60% of marriages are dual-career. Not surprisingly, “lack of time” is cited in one study as the biggest challenge to their marriages.**

So, "being with" God has become a common way in the Christian culture to deal with the daily stresses of a frantic schedule. It also is a balm for the individualism which can hinder substantial relationship, even with those closest to us. And yet, this beautiful reality of being "with" God also needs to be paired with being "without" God, His mystery. 

This does not mean God abandons us. He loves us completely and is committed to caring for us. 

But consider this: 
"being with" God necessitates a God who can be with everyone at all times, in every way, without barriers, or borders. He must be a God who transcends time, space, knowledge, emotions, fears, hopes, etc. 


The immediate presence of God that a Christian hopes to enjoy while "being with" Him, must also recognize that this God's presence and life transcendent too. 

The Christian Scriptures and the church figures who have most profoundly influenced the faith have certainly experienced God in the present moment. They even encourage personal relationship with God. 

But their experience of God's closeness has arisen from the belief that God is transcendent and beyond us, and therefore able to interact and impact all places, at all times. 

And as we seek to emulate Intimacy with God in spiritual formation, we must remember that He is only so close and so loving because of His transcendence. 

Being with God requires letting Him be God: He is beyond us so He draws close to us.

We'll take a look at some of these church figures in the next post...



________________________________________________________________________________
*http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/time.html
**http://www.christianpost.com/news/you-can-win-the-battle-with-busyness-45145/

Who do I follow? Psychology, Theology, Philosophy...Part II

With confidence and humility, we must enter the conversation of integrating various disciplines in order to understand God and His interaction with His world.

But How do we begin to integrate various disciplines with discernment while keeping their integrity intact?








In our Theology 1 class, The Wesleyan Quadrilateral, has been suggested as a way to do integration with confidence and humility.

The quadrilateral is not an endorsement of Wesleyan view, but a simple tool to utilize in our Theological Method.

Who Do I Follow? Psychology, Theology, Philosophy....Part I

Who is right? Can I share my views with someone who disagrees with me?

Is faith blind? Can I trust in reason, and still trust in God? 

Am I too emotional? Can I bring psychology into my faith? 

Will it matter if I participate in church, or just be non-religious? Can I forsake (or learn) from tradition, and still have faith? 

What if I don't "feel" God? Can I use my daily experience to guide my faith?

Our Theology 1 class is studying Theological Methodology--or the method by which we study God.

The Theological method we bring to the Scriptures leads directly to our Theological conclusion. (i.e. if I don't believe in miracles, and I study the bible, I will minimize or even debunk the bible of the supernatural).

But what makes up the "method" we bring to the Scriptures?

And who can contribute to the theological knowledge we conclude?

Which disciplines give us clear knowledge of God?

Prayer as Groaning

One would think, being in a program called Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, your prayer life would flourish. It's actually the opposite. It seems that right now Keri and I are asking a lot more critical questions about prayer and how it "works" in our Christian walk.

Sometimes this leads to frustration in our own walks with God. Oh, we want to be so committed, and would like to direct souls into a perfect Christian life. The truth is though, that Christians, just like anyone else, are very messy people. As a couple and individuals, we are at times messy, distracted, unreliable, confused, doubt-filled, immature, irrational, fearful, complain-y and tired. And, with Jesus' death and resurrection in view, this is where prayer must begin.

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit,groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies...

Care for my Soul!

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who is "listening" to you share hardships in your life and all they say is, "I'm so sorry. I hope things get better. See you later!" or a simple "I'll be praying for you," and never follow up? Do you ever wish that someone would want to care about you more? Or do you wonder if people are even capable of caring for you in the way you desire to be cared for, deep down in your heart? We will be discussing these questions throughout this semester as we study the history & theory of "Soul Care" in the church. There is a potential for us to care for and be cared for by others, as we will see throughout history. We were created to be cared in the deepest parts of our hearts and God has given us the capacity to help bear one another's burdens as we point people to Jesus. This is great news and hope for our lonely and tender hearts that desire to be known!

History & Theory of Christian SoulCare & Direction

This class is "an introduction to the history and theory of spiritual soul care, mentoring and direction from a biblical experimental and psychological perspective. Specific focus is on assisting others in deepening their relationship with God through increased sensitivity and responsiveness to the Holy Spirits' presence and work in all areas of life (including the common and ordinary). Attention is also given to understanding the personal dynamics at work within and between the director and directee and the role of spiritual guidance within the broader context of pastoral care and mentoring as well as in the more specific discipline of spiritual direction."

Books

            

How are our human spirits formed?

Have you ever wondered how things around us influence our behaviors, thoughts, heart, will? Have you ever stopped to wonder how things shaped you as a kid without your own choice in the matter? If our human spirits are significantly formed when we are kids, is there hope for change? If there is hope for change, what does that process look like? We will be answering these questions this semester as we study how our little selves were formed and the training, and RE-training, that can take place for further growth in life.

Christian Virtue & the Spiritual Disciplines

An introduction to the relationship of ethics/virtue and the formation of the self. Emphasis upon the impact of one's early relational history and training as well as true Christian training. Included in this is the relationship of the spiritual disciplines as a means of the training of spiritual growth into the image of Christ. 

Books

                 

Do I really know God?

Have you ever wondered if you really know God? Have you ever stopped to think, "Is this just my parent's faith? Or am I just accepting what my church has taught me without wondering what I think is true?" Can we simply live a life based on other's study of the Bible and God? Is it important for me to think about my own methods of coming to conclusions about who God is for my own walk with God? How do I know which method to use? How do I allow both general and specific revelation inform my beliefs about God? Our class will be addressing these questions as we dive into the process of how we come to right beliefs and conclusions about God and how these beliefs inform our behaviors.

We will be taking 3 Classes this Semester. Here is our first class:

Theology 1: Introduction- Revelation & Nature of God

We will be studying the nature, method, and rationale of Christian Theology. Revelation, both general and special, inspiration, canonicity and illumination of Scripture. The doctrine of God, including His existence, attributes and Trinitarian nature.

Books

         

Hiding Doubt: Part III

The third installment of Hiding Doubt (click here for part I and here for part II)

God roots our faith in our doubt, our bravery in our fear: it is in weakness that we experience His power. And it is in our sin that we experience His graceful presence. The strongest person is the weakest, the greatest is the least...

"humble yourselves in the sight of God and He will exalt you".

Hiding Doubt: Part II

The second installment of "Hiding Doubt" (click here for part I)

Often doubt is perceived as a bad or wrong emotion. Consider the word brave. What is the opposite of bravery? Most people would suggest that fear is the opposite of bravery. Yet, truthfully the opposite of bravery is cowardice. Cowardice is running away from fear. Fear is actually a component of bravery, an emotion that allows us to be brave. Fear must occur for the brave. Because of this mis-perception our culture has an aversion to feeling fear in order present confidence and bravery--yet it is in the face of fear that one actually is brave. This is true with doubt also.

Hiding Doubt: Part I

Commonly, we place a mask over our raw nature underneath. It is convenient to hide the parts of ourselves of which we are most ashamed. And the raw place eventually becomes something forgotten and unfamiliar. Though there are many arenas this occurs, but a recent and important one is the area of doubt. Can I doubt God? That He exists? The He is kind? That He is powerful, ruling, close, loving, wise, infinite etc? Is He angry at me? Ambivalent? Over it? Gone? Am I allowed to be angry at Him?

The Christian Mystic

 Some people long for a deep, intimate connection with God. It seems only right for a human, with spiritual needs, to desire a "divine encounter" or "mystical experience". It  has almost become a spiritual "right" for a personal encounter with the divine. Yet, is a divine experience deserved for human beings? Is it even something right for us to desire? And, is it an actual or valid knowledge of God? 

We are drawn to mystical encounter because they seem to supersede the  dreary, meaningless routine of everyday life--it's as if they puncture it with "the divine" and connect with a place in ourselves that nothing else can. And it is true to an extent, for we are made for "divine encounters".

Another aspect that pulls us in is the "experiential" element. Our parents were raised in the day where "facts" were where the deepest knowledge was found.  After the technology boom and the birth of the internet the amount of information exploded and we could see how much life was much more than facts and formulas. As facts and formulas have faded, the value of life-experience as knowledge skyrocketed. Rather than books, graphs and lectures, personal experience is now our societies most valued source and most meaningful epistemological (the study of the nature of knowledge) exchange. Mysticism has become an outlet for our cultures lack of experiential knowledge, and gives us some clues on how to practice it (often while presenting us a new belief system).

 Mysticism can be found in all of the major world religions: The Christian Mystics of the Catholic Middle Ages, The Kabbalist in the Hebrew tradition, and Sufism in the Islamic tradition. It has also highly influenced New Age beliefs (which are often just a rebirth of old pagan beliefs) and it's themes are in Buddhism (Zen and some Yoga practices) and other transcendent-self systems (Eastern Religions like Taoism). Mysticism is vague and has been overly defined and re-defined, and enmeshed into almost every religious tradition as those who have "a personal experience of the divine". Often, in mysticism, the melding of philosophies and ethereal/emotional language blurs the lines between beliefs and a mystic either affirms that all experiences are valid and/or denies all basic belief sets or knowledge but the mystic-experience. 

Any tradition is easily embraced for someone searching for the "supernatural". We were created for some sort of mystical experience, but when we have these experiences, who are we encountering and where are they leading? All knowledge, even experiential, must lead somewhere, and we would be wise to ask who they are and where they are taking us--lest we end up in some hellish place or entrust a false or wicked guide. Those who used to go on long journeys followed guides who knew the safe destinations and places of rest and resource, or at least had a good, trustworthy map. If we are going to set out, we need to know with whom we go, and where. (and if you are exploring these things outside of the Christian context, ask these questions heartily, and examine to whom you entrust your life).

Inner Space Part 2

This is where I felt the conflicts between psychology and following Jesus collided (as I explained in part 1). Coe helped me to clarify these issue. At this, I was able to pinpoint my issue: As a Christian can I engage modern progress as a means to knowing Jesus? I am concerned both about getting swept away in modern fads and popular pretty-talk, rather than simply Jesus, as He is. But I am also concerned about missing His leading and work in any discipline where He is present. (Which is all the disciplines, right, since all truth is God's truth).

Years ago, Christians (and/or Catholics) rejected the astronomical discoveries of the earth being round (rather than flat) and the earth going around the sun (rather than the sun around the earth). These discoveries were initially persecuted by Christianity because basic assumptions had been made about God's purpose in designing the earth as flat and center. Yet, in rejecting these theories, Christians also rejected the immeasurable size of the universe, the unimaginable number of stars and galaxies, the complexity of the earth for life, the delicacy of our solar system, quantum physics, and a billion more intricate and amazing pieces of our existence. Hundreds of year later, these things have been integrated into Christian faith, and bring us to worship and awe of God's creativity, power and care. "He upholds the universe by the word of His power", (Heb 1.3) has a vast and deep impact on our minds now that these truths are integrated into our worldview. Would it have been different if historical Christians embraced that discipline originally as a source of knowledge and worship?

And, as I began to think about Psychology, I wondered, "What if the same terrestrial glories and wondrous mysteries that are found outside the earth are comparable to the mysteries and powers within the human being?" I became excited at this notion. It is not wrong to explore the vast reaches of space, and so, it cannot be wrong to explore the interior psychological processes. It becomes wrong when the fullness of knowledge and wisdom that leads to worship is taken out of God's hand and place into mans. "The issue isn't the issue, the issue is control" (a magazine quote that has stuck with me, despite the fact that I've forgotten which magazine or article).  It is right for man to explore every inch of God's creation, for God gave us the itch of adventure. But adventure always must lead to worship and a "smaller" view of ourselves (as Dr. Thoennes would say, "Christians are those who revel in their smallness!"). The adventure of placing Psychology within God's creation of the human soul/psyche can and should bring us to worship! We can study God's image within us, with all of its glory and brokenness, and I believe that is pleasing to God.

Note:

If you are interested in the way God"s Spirit works within the human spirit, John Coe goes on to present a Pneumatoloical view (Pnema=spirit in Greek) of Psychology in the rest of that essay. Here is a short summary of the article:

Secular psychologies provide incisive yet truncated insight into human personality, psychopathology, health, and development. The clear challenge for the Church is to develop a New Covenant psychology which takes as its starting point the human need, hunger, and capacity for a relationship beyond all that we could ask or imagine, for union with God in community. This destiny is the believer’s gift and challenge from here to eternity. I have provided here only some beginning musings toward this pneumadynamic, Spirit-filled approach to human existence.

My Soul

Generally, people don't wonder about the state of their soul. It's actually kind of a weird phrase, don't you think? Is the soul able to have a state? Is it constant or ever-moving? Is it real or a nice idea? And can I or you or anyone really change it? (and, really, who has the time to care?). It's  the same with the "heart" and "looking inward" or any other reflective imagery.

The inner life doesn't really become important to our society until there is a reason for it. As long as it is "under control" or at least "manageable", then one feels okay. It is like the old saying "children are better seen than heard".  As if one could calm the inner life by telling it to be quiet and sit in the corner.

The inner life is a scary environment. It is full of all the monsters that have scared us, all the

                                                                                                         rules that have broken us, all the moments that

                                                          have shaped us.

"When my heart was embittered 

And I was pierced within,

Then I was senseless and ignorant; 

I was like a beast before You." 

-Psalm 73:21-22

We are complicated creatures. We feel in control only when we don't have any issues. Jesus has powerful words regarding this...

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

 For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, 

but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence."

-Matthew 23:25

The state of our souls mattered very much to Jesus. Not just for robbery and self-indulgence, but every form of evil. George MacDonald has a great insight regarding this:

"No, there is no escape. There is no heaven with a little of hell in it; no plan to retain this or that of the devil in our hearts or our pockets. Out Satan must go, every hair and feather."

In "The Great Divorce" C.S. Lewis expounds on this:

"Both good and evil, when they have fully grown, become retrospective. Not only in this valley [heaven] but all their earthly past will have been Heaven to those who are saved. Not only their twilight in that town [Hell], but all their life on Earth too, will then be seen by the damned to have been Hell...both process begin before death. The good man's past begins to change so that his forgiven sins and remembered sorrows take on the quality of Heaven; the bad man's past already conforms to his badness and is filled only with dreariness. 

And that is why, at the end of all things, when the sun rises here and the twilight turns to blackness down there, the Blesses with say 'We have never lived anywhere except Heaven,' and the Lost, 'We were always in Hell'. And both will speak truly."

This is the gravity of our inner life. It is constantly shaping and forming an eternal reality within us. By love the Holy Spirit works Heaven into our hearts and lives. And through sin and deception Satan fosters Hell. And though some areas seem grey now, it will be black and white very soon.

"Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, 

And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom."

-Psalm 51:6

God desires an unashamed honesty with us. Jesus praised those who came to him sinful and broken. He often rebuked those who did not. How have we twisted His gospel so much?

When I sin I often feel afraid, ashamed, guilty. And I wonder, "How can I come to God now?" Somewhere inside I'm certain He will reject me.

Or I think, "I cannot let Him see me like this..." as if keeping my darkness from Him is some sort of religious pity on Him (Yet dark and light are alike to Him).

Even deeper, I wonder if Jesus can handle my sin. "No one else could deal with me. I can't even deal with me sometimes. How could Jesus?"

Each of these hesitating questions shrinks my view of God and avoids my true state. In essence, this is blindness.


12 "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

-Hebrews 4:12-16

Rest

"And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation."

Genesis 2:2-3

Dave and I both value taking time to rest. This can look different each day, but little moments of resting our hearts, resting our minds, or resting our bodies remind us of our dependency on our Creator. The posture of rest leads to moments of surrender. Whether it be time, schedule, relationships, expectations, pleasing others, family, tasks, or projects, etc., moments of rest help put our lives in perspective.

"And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD."

Isaiah 11:2

By no means do we do all of these every day, but each day does consist of one of the following in hopes to habituate daily rest. Here are some ways we practice rest:

Week 8- Does "Work" Work for Spiritual Growth?

It is a rude awakening when the personal work one puts into life does not output what one expects. Often one assumes that concepts like 'karma' or 'the golden rule' or even Biblical ideas like 'sow/reap', means that if one follows the natural progression observed in life, that life will give or produce or result in something similar to what one has put into it. 

And this is true to some extent, the world has been made in such Wisdom that we can observe patterns of life, and make general conclusions about its results. (i.e. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Beggars can't be choosers, A friend in need is a friend indeed etc.) Yet we all know, that sometimes absence doesn't make the heart fonder, and sometimes beggars are choosers, and sometimes needy friends aren't friends at all...these are not rules, they are common observations by common sense to guide common life.  This is God's gift to all humanity to grow with or without Him--it is the possibility of autonomous, non-relational growth (common grace).

The frustration happens when we take sow/reap structure into our relationship with Him. Humans take the proverbial structure and its expectations into their relationship with God. To oversimplify this issue, we expect to work for God and when we do, we expect God to produce what He said!

Seems logical enough...