Dear God,
There is much that I am uncertain about.
This interpretation, that interpretation…
And if I don’t feel a conviction to do this, does that mean that I am not actually called to do it,
Or
Does it just mean that I should grow some spiritual muscle and develop a conviction for it
?
Also,
Is it always holier to do the more uncomfortable thing
?
I don’t know how to pray, God.
How can I pray, when it only reveals how very little of you I understand?
I imagine that you must be
So
Much
More
Than just a perfect superhuman.
But
What
?
And what do I do if I realize that my motive for knowing you more
Is so that I will appear and feel more
Wise?
(I hate when my motives get all twisted like this.
Forgive me.)
I know that learning to know you is a journey-
An adventure!
I will not navigate it perfectly.
I know that there are mountain-tops along the way
With much clarity.
I also know that there is…
Muck.
Speaking of muck…
I confess that when I hear the words child-like faith
Something inside me splinters
And not in a good way.
I have slid into a pit of
“Earning my faith”
By being skeptical about this and about that.
We talk about owning our faith and how good it is to question and search.
But nobody tells you
What to do
When you are just…
Lost.
When the answers to your questions sometimes involve that child-like faith and you just
Can’t
Quite
Regain it.
There is much that I am uncertain about.
But also…
The daffodils in the flowerbed outside our door just keep blooming and blooming, through cold and through gray.
In The Horse and His Boy, Aslan was all the lions.
There are certain things that I hesitate to pray for because I’m afraid you’ll send me what I ask for.
“… in You we live and move and have our being.”
Some days, the sun shines in a warm way and the grass is green beneath me.
Perhaps, right now, many small pieces of you are more necessary for me than one giant understanding. And maybe I don’t even need to worry about putting all those pieces together.
Maybe I will just watch for the beautiful pieces and name you as I see you.
I’ll be watching, God. I’ll be watching.
Amen.
Question: What are you certain or uncertain about these days? Hearing either is encouraging.
All of the Words 