A friend of mine - actually, a friend I've known longer than any other, since we met when were merely months old - sent me the most affirming article I've read since Ariana was born. Andrea, my friend, is a Lutheran pastor, as is her husband, Nathan - they blog about their life together, the lives of her three precious girls, and their faith. Andrea has been among the few people that has been accepting and understanding of my anger with God. Isn't it fascinating that a pastor is okay with my questioning and wavering? Well, it must be in the pastoral wine because yesterday Andrea sent me a blog post by a man who is also a pastor (of a Reformed Church in Fishers, Indiana), whose words just spoke to me - well, sung to me, really. I wanted to scream, "Hallelujah," for the first time in ever!
It is entitled, Confronting the Lie: God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle. The title alone had me hooked. The author began with a paragraph describing the tragic past three weeks he'd experienced - ridden with illness, pain, suffering, and frustration. He went on to say, "I have had enough." I can empathize. In fact, this past year, I've had more empathy in my heart than almost any other emotion. I am touched by nearly everyone else's traumas and tragedies. Stories that used to only upset me in the moments upon hearing them now affect me for weeks, sometimes months, on end. But I digress...
In his darkest hour, this pastor didn't apologize for asking God, "Why?", "Why not step in?", "Why not act?" Quite conversely, he said it was courageous to ask! That's something new - something I hadn't heard before. Course, he wants those that dare to ask to also be courageous enough to wait for the answer. The pastor went on to imply that it's highly unlikely an answer will come. Indeed, that's the tough pill to swallow.
Still, the mere fact that the pastor cried foul (well, to use his word, "bullshit") when hearing the much-touted phrase, "God won't give you more than you can handle," gives him a permanent spot on my blog roll! While I initially gasped at a pastor's use of profanity, I then immediately wondered why I was so surprised. He's human, after all. He's now lived through pretty serious trauma - more than he can bear. Of course he thinks the everyday, Christian go-to expression, "God won't give you more than you can handle," is bullshit. So do I! He went on to explain that biblically it's not even supported.
Hallelujah!
Much to the contrary, the pastor believes it is when we are at our weakest, when we have had enough, that God will step in. He expects it, actually. I remain undecided.
Another long-time friend of mine, Emily, who I've known for 28 of my 35 years sent me this image today via text.
Seems all too coincidental - and again, a perfect use of profanity coupled with this profane phrase.
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