A moment of doubt

…but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.” Luke 22:31-34 (NRSV)

There are times when our faith may fail. What then? In this scripture, Peter is puffed up and telling Jesus he will not have doubt. Jesus says “Oh, you will, but when you come back you will be strong enough to strengthen others.”

In John chapter 14 verse 6, “Jesus says I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This statement infers a lot, and we often use it as an exclusionary device for who is in and who is out. This is a statement that causes me a good deal of doubt. What if Jesus is not THE Way? What if Christians are wrong?

I am currently reading The Book of JOY. As I read, I can’t help but think that the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, in their spiritual life, are in conversation with the same creator and the same God. This opens a whole can of worms in the small box of faith I am at times most comfortable in. My thoughts start swimming around, and I start questioning lots of scriptures. This is good. When my thoughts begin to settle again, I remember what I really know for sure. God is Love. Love with us and in us translates across cultures and religions.

Personally I am a Buddhist, and I consider faith very important. but at the same time the reality is that out of seven billion people, over one billion people on the planet are nonbelievers. So we cannot exclude them. One billion is quite a large number. They are also our human brothers and sisters. They also have the right to become happier human beings and to be good members of the human family. The Dalai Lama

Jesus’ teachings focus a great deal on unity. We need to be unified with God and each other This learning is simpler, narrowed down by the claiming of Christ as the only way to God. Being united in love is much more difficult because we get uncomfortable with our differences. Jesus, in the Gospels, shows us the way to love each other and the way to love God. We love by serving and putting others ahead of ourselves. In following Christ, my faith has a focus and a purpose. The way to unity is love. My doubts are transformed when I look outside myself and offer love to someone in need.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.Philippians 4:8 NRSV

Personally, I am a Christian, and when I think about these things, I think of Christ. What do you think of?

A moment for enjoyment

What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 (NRSV)

What if we operated at 80%?

We live in a world where we are taught to give it our all. In the words of Ricky Bobby from Talladega Nights “If you are not first you are last.” We have wonderful expressions like, “Hang in there,” “Be strong,” “Keep fighting,” and “Never give up.” So, we press on and try to present an image of being tireless. Yet we are all quite tired, aren’t we? We have set our goals at the highest level. “Reach for the moon, and you will fall among the stars.” That all sounds great. Except, I don’t have rocket boots. And, I am tired. As a result, the unattainable goal of the moon just makes me feel deflated and unmotivated.

But, if I am shooting for 80%? Well, that is doable! In school, 80% is a “B.” “B” is above average. That’s a good grade, right? Quite possibly, at the end of an 80% day, I have successfully achieved what I set out to do. I am calmer. And, I have a little left over for someone who might need me. The friend who called. The spouse who had a rough day. My kids who need a last minute hand with a project. Or, even better, a slow, relaxed dinner with a great conversation about our 80% day.

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. Ralph Waldo Emerson

A moment of resolution

images

Come they told me
A newborn King to see
Our finest gifts we bring
To lay before the King
So to honor Him
When we come
Little baby
I am a poor boy too
I have no gift to bring
That’s fit to give our King
Shall I play for you
On my drum
Mary nodded
The ox and lamb kept time
I played my drum for Him
I played my best for Him
Then He smiled at me
Me and my drum.

New Year’s resolutions are about self-improvement. We look at the new year as a starting point for being better than we were the year before. We, like the boy in the song, feel we are not enough. We look around and see the deficit. We will make resolutions to improve the deficit we see. It is said that 40% of Americans will make resolutions, but only 8% will succeed. To me, these are not good enough odds to make it worth my time and effort.

What if we changed our focus? What if, this year, we decided to give the best of whatever we have? We have all been given something we can offer. If we take a moment to look at ourselves through the eyes of our Creator, we will see the abundance in our lives and our hearts. It may not seem like much to us, but it just may be the blessing that brings a smile and lifts the hearts of others. I imagine the odds of our success will improve if we shift our focus and offer the very best of even our smallest gifts.

All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:4

A moment of fear

“let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts…For the trust reposed in me I will return the courage and the devotion that befit the time. I can do no less.” Franklin D. Roosevelt, Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933

Fear is a powerful force that can stop us in our tracks. Whatever we are moving toward, may be completely avoided when we justify our fears and give them power.

Identifying our fears by naming them might be our first courageous act. What is the enemy that you are going to battle today? Is it loneliness, despair, guilt, abandonment? Spend a quiet moment asking God, “What is the source of my fear?”

Today, the source of my fear is the idea that I have not done what I should have done in the past and the future of others will be forever tainted by my failure. That statement is full of guilt. And there is nothing I can do to change the past. So, having named it, I have two choices, wallow in the past (punishing myself) or move toward a better future.

I spend a quiet moment with God and ask, “What have you entrusted to me today?”

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:18-19 (NRSV)

God has entrusted to me those whom I love, and though I may have failed them in the past God’s love for me is unending and I must have the courage to overcome my fears and extend that love to them today. “I can do no less.”