Change?
John Smulo has a great post on his blog today titled “On Being a Misfit”. Here is an excerpt from it:
“Yet over the last decade, I have increasingly–year by year–not known where I fit. I don’t resonate with much of the Christian culture around me–though I still love Jesus deeply. I also don’t identify with those who live their lives as if Jesus isn’t the center of the cosmos.
This tension of feeling like I’m in the world and Christendom–but not of it–is overwhelming at times. It raises questions that impact every area of my life. At times, this pulling this way and that is paralyzing; at other times I get a lot of joy from exploring new territory.”
I really resonate with what John is articulating, and I feel I’m at that paralyzing point right now. Along with my husband I am tired of trying and hoping things will change, to see little movement. I am tired of thinking about where it is all going. I am tired of feeling like I am hitting my head against a brick wall. I know some of you will say “Seek God and He will show you the way.” Don’t worry, we do this! The trouble is I sometimes wonder if God is tired of it all as well?
What are your thoughts? Do you identify with Christians around you, or do you feel like an alien species?
christendom, christian culture, jesus, John Smulo, misfit, new territory, seek godabout
Posted on November 15, 2007
Posted by lynhallewell
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alien species reporting for duty.
LOL!
Nanu-nanu.
I used to love Mork and Mindy
Lyn sez, “What are your thoughts? Do you identify with Christians around you, or do you feel like an alien species?”
Ha! Ha ha! Ha ha ha! Ah-hahahahahahahahaha! Ha ha ha! Ha ha! Ha! Ahem.
I can’t even BEGIN to imagine why anyone Christian associates with me, talks to me, reads my blog. I am SUCH a failure that all I can see in the Gospel is the hope for the complete outcasts. I sin. I curse. I fall down - over and over and over again. I have lusts and gluttonies and prejudices galore. I am fallen. A leper. Really.
Alien species is right - when I am in the midst of raised-from-the-cradle Christians, I feel like I am from another planet. I don’t think I will EVER find their private, coded languages (considering I still drop the F-bomb with some regularity :-), actions or (ahem) taste in music my own. Whatever. Christ calls ME nonetheless, and I hear Him and MUST answer. Good thing He hung out with tax collectors, harlots and thieves - otherwise I’d have NO chance.
Christ calls ME nonetheless, and I hear Him and MUST answer. Good thing He hung out with tax collectors, harlots and thieves - otherwise I’d have NO chance.
Very true Jim. Don’t let the dogs eat you.
Jim - At least you don’t have to bribe your children with quarters to get them to stop yelling at each other.
Anyhow. I’m still trying to figure out if I’m the tax-collector, the harlot or the thief.
Jim - At least you don’t have to bribe your children with quarters to get them to stop yelling at each other.
You’ve just given me a really good idea Erin!!!
Erin, you are wrong! I am going to steal, er, appropriate your idea! May it bring an end to the bellowing.
ha ha!
Thanks Lyn - I am probably going to be treading on very dangerous ground here!….I KNOW that God has somethihg planned for me for my personal journey but I am sure there’s more to it than that.
As communities I believe we should be doing more. Why wait for ‘Hope 08′ we should be liasing with councils and the police and doing stuff now. No excuses on my part either - I should be doing more!
As individuals we can do more we just have to take notice of the opportunities God puts in front of us.
With communiities as a whole there does need to always be someone who takes the lead but that can be a very dangerous position and this person could be open to criticism.
There are lots of things I think we need to deal with as individuals and a ‘network’..we need to get rid of our ‘Britishness’ - something I really struggle with actually!, get rid of ‘fear’, get rid of ‘politicalness’, ‘jealousy’, ‘gossping’ among some other stuff.
We need to support each other, build each other up, help each other. I will shut up now as I could on!
Love and prayers
Thanks for sharing Jenni.
hi lyn i wrote a piece recently about celebrating stuckness - that in the process of deconstruction/reconstruction we often despair cos it takes time and bruised forheads. But it is only in the places where we are stuck that we can learn or chose to go back to how we’ve always done it or just give up. If we don’t do the last 2 then we get stuck whilst we look out for ways to reframe or rethink where we are…
It’s not the comfortable place but it is a creative space…
It is certainly not comfortable!
Lyn,
Take a peek at http://seasonedbelievers.blogspot.com. You will find harmony and purpose with the ideas expressed there. And, may God always be praised in Jesus Christ!
MANY BLESSINGS!
Peace and All Good!
Michael
Thanks for the link, I’ll have a look.