Recently, on a plane, I read an article about Anthony Hopkins. He had a very long and distinguished career.
Yet I detected something running around in his spirit. He is very rich and famous and made the following statement: ‘What’s the point of any of it all anyway?’
He clearly saw pointlessness in just about everything that he did. In fact, as you read on, he saw pointlessness in the entire human condition.
Just like the moonbeams, existential despair can strike anyone, anytime, anywhere … and it is a persistent condition.
Feeling that there is no point to anything drives a cold, steel stake into any hope that may exist within you. Feeling that it is all meaningless can construct a portable prison around any glimmer of faith that might try to take root in your life.
It can depress you.
It can sadden you.
It can make you not want to get out of bed.
It can dishearten, discourage and dispirit you.
If there is any forward movement in your life, it can shut that down as fast as a hiccup.
I experienced about a decade of this, early in my life. 10 years of not seeing the point. 10 years of questioning the meaning of life and, to be frank, not getting very good answers, either from within or outside of the church.
The church is not well-prepared to handle folks with existential despair.
Christ is, however.
I never see Jesus turning away anyone or any question as he traveled Israel. Oh, he did get irritated with the smug religious bulldogs of his day but he was unwaveringly patient with and full of regard for those who had tough, troubling and unanswered questions.
Like the rich young ruler. (Mark 10:17-27)
He wanted to know what he needed to do to have eternal life.
Jesus told him.
The ruler then countered that, hmmm, I've done all those things already!
Jesus did not castigate him or tell him to to just have faith, see you later. Next please.
No, he instructed him further, patiently.
Well, the young man just couldn't quite belly up to the bar and left, grief-stricken.
Did Jesus feel a need to upbraid him?
No, the Scripture says he loved him. And understood him. And acknowledged some things were simply tough to understand and tough to do. But with God, it all collapses into the realm of the possible.
My debilitating bout with existential despair ended in a thunderclap the night I encountered Christ.
But leading up to that night were wise and patient people he had put in my path who listened to me.
And did not belittle me. And did not chide me for asking the genuinely tough questions.
Has God put someone in your path who suffers under, labors under, is crushed by, and is not successfully navigating life's toughest questions?
Listen. Love. Speak truth. Don't castigate. Don't feel threatened. Listen some more. Love some more.
Be big enough to never belittle.
4 comments:
...always enjoy whatever you write and this one is no exception...thanks
I am sure that Jesus understands how hard it is for us to sacrifice so much to be a follower ... he knew the rich man would balk at giving up everything ... but that is what he expects from us ... Jesus sacrificed everything for us ... Jesus said, "follow me".
He does not belittle or smack us around ... he set us free to choose by our own will to follow him.
He practiced what he preached. We should too.
It's good to set goals. Since when is eternity meaningless?
Fortunately ... I'm glad God doesn't "six sigma" my progress.
...hope it's cool if i make a comment about what Anonymous said regarding "sacrifice so much to be a follower"...don't think there's any sacrifice at all...it's more like getting out of a crashed up car in flames, almost about to explode because the tank is full...Jesus Christ goes to enormous trouble just to bring us to a place in our lives where we can actually hear Him telling us, "Follow me." Then, He gives us a way out of certain destruction. Sacrifice? We not only escape with our lives, but He gives us eternal life on top of that, plus all the cool stuff that comes along with being a child of God. Jesus made the sacrifice, is there anything we can do or have done to deserve anything God gives us?
all good thoughts ... final thought, I think we need to listen to those who have really scorcher questions and not scorch them back ...
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