I want to say that, while the stories of my past were very painful, God was present. Some of the greatest experiences of my life happened during that time and I have friendships that lasted decades. Humans hurt and failed me, but others blessed me, and God grew my faith in ways I never dreamed.

I am doing my best to share this journey, but confusion frequently reigns over clarity. What used to be easy, no longer comes naturally. Sometimes, it’s humorous, but often it is a different form of pain. I will be more careful to share the whole story as best I can.

Recently, I enjoyed several days of normalcy. For three days, out of the past two years, things were good. It was nothing exceptional for most, but to me it was amazing. It gives me hope. The other days are better than they were, for the most part, but the last week was quite difficult.

This is the thing with depression and anxiety. It can change without notice. Every day is different. Some days you feel the improvement, some days you are in a pit, and most days you fake being normal for the sake of others. This leads to exhaustion. Sundays are a big challenge. A few hours of preaching and visiting and I am spent.

My memory is affected by the disease and the treatment. It requires tremendous effort to keep focus. The tools I’ve used for decades to track what needs done no longer work. Learning new methods is interesting, but, unfortunately, things get lost in the process.

It is things like this that create extra challenges. Like so many things in our world, my struggle is old news. Where once, people worked to adapt to my changing reality and offered to help any way they could, they now expect me to be my old self and function as if nothing’s changed. I am sure they still care, but their awareness is different. They have their own concerns to attend to, and my struggles can add to those concerns.

Of course, no one knows the parts they don’t see. They don’t recognize that the challenges I experience, like the ones that affect them, happen all the time for me. My therapist is excellent, but we have a lot of work to do. I normalized, or repressed, many things that now, have a negative effect, not just with ministry, but in every facet of my life.

Sharing the following thoughts is a difficult level of vulnerability for me to express, even to myself, but I feel it is necessary to support others who can say, “Hey, that’s me!” It also helps reveal what depression/anxiety is like for those who don’t understand.

There are mornings I wake up in panic. I don’t know why. Sometimes, I get fifteen minutes before it sets in, but without any stimulus, I am overwhelmed. It may resolve over coffee, or mid-day, or not at all. Still, life goes on.

There are moments where I suddenly feel completely isolated, that I have no one around me and everything is on my shoulders. It is an empty feeling, but life goes on.

The chaos of the world can suddenly produce great fear. It can cause questions of life and purpose, and remove the joy from pleasurable activities, or remove all motivation for things I love. Thankfully, my therapist keeps reminding me this is normal, but I hate it. Even so, life goes on.

Working through these issues is hard, and not just on me. It affects many around me, especially those I love. My wife experienced major battles the last three years, and has her own stress. She also has been through all this with me—every day. Her love and support is amazing. It’s hard to know you are complicating the life of someone you love.

It is also hard to process the daily stress of all of this on our relationship. The past few weeks were really bad. They really strained our marriage. It was a blessing to have a support network in place to help us, but it was hard, and we are still working through it. As difficult as it was, and is, life goes on.

I will keep showing up to worship and preach what God gives me, with a smile on my face. Most will never know. I will still love and care for those God asked me to serve. Visits during coffee hour will still be times to listen to others and share in their joys and sorrows. Because, life really does go on.

If you’ve read this far, let me share two important things. If you are struggling with your mental health, you are not alone. It’s okay not to be okay. Your feelings are valid, even if they are inaccurate. You can be you.

If you are around people who are wresting with depression, anxiety, and a host of other struggles, know that what you see is the smallest portion of what they are experiencing. Be mindful that the negatives you experience are a drop in the bucket of their lives, and the guilt they carry is torturous. Be patient. Be loving.

Yes, life goes on, but together, we can change the experience of that shared journey of community. Compassion is not always easy, but everyone is wrestling with something, and it likely feels worse for them than you can imagine. The world is hostile like never before and loving has taken a backseat to winning. A kind word, can change someone’s life and by doing that, change the world.

Maybe, that’s the whole point, to accept one another for we are, not perfect people who meet everyone’s expectations, but imperfect people who are authentic and willing to grow together. We can be the body of Christ who draws people to wholeness through love and compassion. We can leave the judgement and fault-finding behind. We can embody what we say we believe.

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“Christians?” I replied.

“Yes, but I specifically meant pastors. Christians tend to keep believing it is a faith issue and so they try harder to be better. Pastors add another layer by believing they can fix themselves and thinking such a diagnosis makes them weak.”

I could hear my spirit say, “Yes, and yes.” It was a big hurdle to overcome, but with help I came through. I quickly learned that I was not the only one with those thoughts about my situation. There were plenty of people (“loving Christians”) who were offended their pastor had depression. They made sure to point out it was my fault, that I didn’t have enough faith, and it was a bad look for the church. It wasn’t the support I was looking for, or needed.

When the symptoms subsided, I made a commitment to God that I would not remain silent because too many were already doing that, too many negative attempts to support existed, along with wrong understandings. These things made it hard for many to seek the help they needed. So, when things erupted this time, I stuck to my promise. Many people were supportive, but others were still sharing the same concerns of two decades earlier.

To be clear, depression is not just feeling down or sad. Those are only symptoms. Many people say they are depressed, but they do not mean clinical depression. The same is true for anxiety. When dealing with clinical diagnoses, we are talking about health issues. This isn’t about choice or faith, like many other health concerns, they are physical problems that need correction, assisted by therapy to develop healthy coping mechanisms.

People still do not understand this. When I reached out for support, there were people who were angry about my method and about me being public about it. This was not the response I would have received if I announced I was dealing with blood pressure or diabetes. Why? Because this was “mental illness” and it was a scary thing. What would people say or think. What would people do if someone wanted information (other than ask me directly)?

I don’t want this to seem like an attack, though some may read it that way. The takeaway, from my perspective, is that little has changed in perception. I’ve still been told I just need more faith and the Bible says we are not to worry. Honestly, that still stings. I want to define it as misguided compassion, but when you’ve addressed it publicly and repeatedly, it becomes more clear that it is a toxic response.

Please understand, many people have stood with me all along. I’ve had colleagues who reached out with compassion and offered support. Friends did the same. One of my colleagues lovingly took it upon herself to do health checks, to listen and offer as little advice as possible. She simply held space for me to be me, to be safe, and to be seen. God did amazing things through her.

Depression and anxiety are challenging battles. Grace and love make an amazing difference. I cannot express the emotional pain that comes with feeling isolated, alone, and unseen every day, for months. I could not control the feeling, but I learned to function with it. When someone reached out, not to fix things, but to say, “I am here. You are seen. I accept how you feel and honor that, but I am tangible proof you are not alone,” it made it easier to breathe for a moment.

I have a lot of gratitude for those points of light. I will be turning my attention to them on Monday. There were, and are, many people and things I am grateful for. They will be more visible when compared with these first two posts. I hope you will join me Monday and find gratitude as well.

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One of my best friends in college asked me this question, and she was completely serious. Her perspective on what ordained ministry entailed was built on a number of assumptions. The assumptions fuel the classic comments I’ve received, like, “must be nice to only work an hour a week.”

These beliefs affected the way people understood what happened during the pandemic. If you only work an hour each week, then being stuck at home must be a vacation, right? Except, it’s not an hour a week, just the sermon writing takes 12-15 hours, and there was more to come.

Recently, I came across a thread by Rev. Eric Atcheson. As I read each post, I thought, “He’s writing my story!” There are a few important differences, but he captures what many clergy felt, and certainly what I felt. Please take the time to read it in his own words.

I did not resign, but the idea rolled around in my thoughts a few times. Watching the way a major portion of the Church, not my church, but the whole Church, responded to the opportunity to care for people; to sacrifice for the well-being of others was beyond disappointing. I am still seeking God for clarity on how to minister to the world in the wake of the harm the church committed. Right now, I am taking one step of faith at a time, with my spirit focused on Christ.

This was the backdrop for all of the other things that would take place during this season: my wife’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment, ongoing safety protocols because of the damage to her immune system, my own infection and the two minor surgeries that went with it, insurance issues, and ultimately, my depression.

This is what happened. This is what brought me to the place I am. What I tried to pass off as exhaustion and burnout was actually depression. I find great solace in my psychiatrist’s words, “ After all that, I’d be worried if you didn’t have depression.”

Friday, I will share more of the story, but now you have the background of how I got to where I am. I am not posting this for personal attention. Instead, I want to bring attention to the needs of many, to the challenge to the church, and to the solutions I am discovering along the way. I hope you will continue to share the journey with me.

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It’s been almost a year since I created a blog post. That is not a record I hoped to achieve, but the reality of life in a pandemic makes things challenging. So does battling depression, and that is where I continue to find myself.

Shortly after Easter 2021, I began to notice I was not okay. My attempts to relieve stress and burnout were little help. I tried my own efforts a little longer, after all, the pandemic, my wife’s intensive cancer treatment, and her recovery clearly led to stress. Add Christmas and Easter, year-end paperwork, and navigating ministry in the continuing health crisis, and it was easy to excuse my feelings.

I realized I needed help. I spoke with my doctor, who helped with medication, and I spoke with my counselor and began to work through my experiences, and wrestle through my struggle with uncertainty. The process was slow, and my doctor asked me to consult with a specialist. That was difficult; issues of stigma affected me. They still do. It was the right call, however. My new doctor was able to begin changing medications to deal with my depression and anxiety. We are still making changes, and it’s been a wild ride.

I discovered an amazing group of online friends who helped me through many dark moments. I was shocked how open I could be in that context and how much people cared. I also saw how many people were hurting in similar ways. Sadly, I also heard and witnessed people of faith condemning lack of faith for their emotional distress. There was harsh judgement, insulting statements, and a serious lack of love.

How were these words and actions supposed to help those who are suffering? How do they reflect the Jesus who, “had compassion on them all?” The answer to both questions is they didn’t. Self-righteous comments and empty holiness only have the power to cause harm. It is no wonder so many people want nothing to do with the church, and by extension, Jesus.

I continue to face some difficult questions about my faith and life. I know God exists because of personal experience. I know God is love for similar reasons. How and where that is expressed by those who call themselves Christian is a very different story. This is not my attack on Christians. It is a call to look at what we’ve become and ask if it looks anything like the One we claim to represent. I am asking myself the same questions.

I will continue to explore and ask hard questions. I will wrestle with my own healing, while hoping I can be part of healing others, or at least, supporting them as they seek healing. I feel like I can write again. I hope I can continue. I will get better and this dark night of the soul will pass, but I don’t want to lose sight of the insights I’ve gained. I don’t want to settle for a counterfeit version of faith. I don’t want to miss out on the beauty of compassion for myself and others. I don’t want a form of religion that denies the real power of Love.

My upcoming posts will likely be personal. I hope they will spark some necessary conversation. I learned a lot in a year and I hope that sharing part of my journey will encourage some who are on the same path, and enlighten those who are not. If you waited for my return, thank you. If you moved on, I understand. I believe great things are ahead. I hope you will continue to connect with me. Here’s to a new day!

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What happened to compassion? Seriously, when did compassion go out of style? Isn’t it time that we found compassion deep within our hearts and expressed it to the world around us. Could there be a better time than right now to let compassion loose in great expressions in the world?

There was a time when we would respond to the hurt of the world with the love and concern of our hearts. We would feel something deep within our being when we saw pictures of starving children, suffering people around the world, and victims of horrific crimes and tragedies. We were moved by the site of animals who were wounded. We were deeply touched by the stories of those who were enduring great hardship. Very simply, we cared.

Jesus exemplified a ministry of compassion. Numerous times in the Gospels we find Jesus coming upon crowds of people and the Gospels record that he had compassion on them and then he took some type of action. Typically, Jesus would begin to heal people of their brokenness. Jesus was deeply concerned about their well-being and when he saw the trouble, the fear, the broken places, Jesus responded from the heart to love them above everything else going on in the moment and care for those needs. Jesus lived this way as an example for you and for me as to how we should live our lives around others.

Compassion appears to be a rare commodity these days. People are exasperated by the pandemic, and they are struggling to find a solid place to stand. Futures are in flux, and it feels like the whole world is changing, and that feeling is true. In moments like these we can be tempted to turn inward, which also reduces our compassion for others. “Me” and, “Mine,” take the place of, “Us,” and, “All.”

Then there is the polarization sown like tares among the wheat. Many of those charged with protecting the wheat, actively sow weeds, sometime without even knowing. We’ve divided nearly everything in to “Us vs. Them.” Along with that division, we’ve unfortunately embraced a Zero Sum Mentality. This is the belief that there is only so much resource to go around, and I have to get mine before someone else takes it. The combination leads us to see those with us and the rest are enemies.

What if, as common as this thinking is becoming, there was another perspective? What if that perspective was already in our grasp? What if we considered God’s perspective? I am not suggesting that we find ways to make it seem as if God endorses us, but rather, that we humble ourselves before God, lean not on our own understanding, and follow the path marked out for us.

Imagine life where we saw each other as people of infinite worth, made in the image of God, and so important to God that Jesus gave his life for all of us. We could take Jesus’ word to love and pray for our enemies as more than a kind suggestion, but rather, a kingdom command. Just picture our world as a place where we valued one another even in our differences, a place where we truly cared about each other. Just what might happen if God’s kingdom comes and God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven? We’ve been praying that most of our lives. Does it really make any difference?

As we walk through this Lenten season, drawing closer to the celebration of Easter, can we see the saving power of God at work in our world, even when it is not as we expected, or maybe even wanted? Can we fully trust God? Can we embrace the teaching and example of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and look upon a broken and hurting world, and be moved with compassion? Oh , to think what would happen if we replaced political ideologies, personal preferences, our comfort zone, and every other thing that brings division, with the blessed gift of compassion.

I see a day when where we hear political news and our anger, doubt, and even hatred, is replaced by a heart of flesh that looks to God in faith. I see a day where, instead of taking advantage of a painful news headline, we let God break our hearts for people in grief and pain. I see a day where we will humbly consider others of more value than ourselves.

I see a day. Can you see it?

The post A New Day appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

I know many people get stuck in the past. While I understand what might lead to such struggles, my issues tend to focus on what is yet to come. Either way, trying to re-live the past or anticipate the future, when our thoughts are somewhere else, we are no longer rooted in the present, and being present to the present is incredibly important.

The present is important because that is where we actually live. It is the only moment we can experience and the only place where we can act. When we dwell on the past or worry about the future, we surrender the opportunity of the moment to focus on what we cannot change or what may never happen. In our current context, this is a profound challenge. My thoughts are engaging in multiple rounds of “What if?” and each time I allow the game to be played, I miss the preciousness of the present.

Almost four years ago, I nearly lost my wife, my best friend, to cancer. The process was lengthy, with multiple life threatening moments. In those moments, she was enmeshed in battle and I was facing my worst fears and a profound sense of helplessness. Thank God, she experienced a full recovery, and we continue to enjoy our life together.

In this moment, we are aware of the need to take precautions because we both are at higher risk of contracting this virus, and with her compromised immune system, my choices can have a serious impact on her health. This is where my anxiety begins. I begin to imagine possibilities from the potential impact of a simple mistake, to seeing her in another battle for her life. Those thoughts often play in high definition.

Are such fantasies possible? Yes, they are, but so is the possibility that our wise choices protect us, and we both emerge healthy and happy. The truth is, I have absolutely no idea what the future holds. I cannot know what will happen today. What I do know is, when I am imagining challenging, potential futures, I am missing the blessing of the present. Bluntly stated, when I am anxious about our future, I am loosing the time we have together now.

I admit that I find it difficult to be present. From what I see and hear, many people do. Just because it is difficult doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try. In fact, it is all the more important that I do. One of the blessings, and challenges, of the current, restricted activity is time to practice being present. I realize that I may never achieve perfection in this, but I can be much better.

The practice of mindfulness is popular right now, but the rich history of those in the Christian tradition who practiced prayer and meditation, points to the value of being present to the present in every moment. When we release the past and the future, we can be at peace in the present. Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow.” We can live in the moment: savoring it, celebrating it, and truly living it. Living in the moment causes anxiety to dissolve for there is nothing left to be anxious about.

I know I need a lot of practice, but what a great use of this time. Today, this moment, is the perfect time to be fully present to God, to my family, and to the world, and I will keep practicing until it happens naturally. If you struggle with holding on to the past, or worrying about the future, I pray that you will join me in asking God to help you be present to the present, for in this moment is the presence and peace of God.

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Of course, by the time many of moved on to participate in Marching Band, we realized we could not even walk in unison without the percussion section. Our entire performance, music and choreography, was dependent on drums. Rhythm mattered.

Music is often an excellent analogy for life. There are many instruments with many parts. Some, when performed correctly, will never be noticed, or will receive limited attention. Others will receive an opportunity to solo, to stand out and shine, yet they must know when to step out of the spotlight and let the whole group receive the attention. All this diversity in sound, style, and roles come together to form something that no single instrument can produce.

Of course, just like a band, we are lost without rhythm. Missing a clear beat, the diverse group of sounds will stray away from each other. There will be nothing to hold them together. Without rhythm, things devolve from a sound that is slightly off to complete cacophony. Rhythm is essential to good music, and it is essential to good living.

With the recent requirement to stay home to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus, much of my daily rhythm was lost, and I know many people feel the same way. Technology allows for new opportunities, but established routines are radically disrupted. At first, it was chaos. Numerous decisions,and hampered communication, created a cascade of challenges, and the sense that there was barely room to breathe. Daily changes in the situation and in the resulting needs muted the beat, inhibiting the smooth flow of life.

In the middle of the confusion, I was thankful for the holy rhythm of my devotional life and prayer. As part of my spiritual commitment, I pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Developed from Saint Benedict’s Rule, this is a way for the whole church to pray together. Those to make this a part of their spiritual journey pause for prayer seven times each day. In this way, daily life is woven together in prayer. While everything else in my schedule changed, and continues to change, the holy rhythm of my prayer life with God and the church became the pulse behind my actions and the touch-points throughout the day.

Not everyone is called to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, though I certainly believe everyone should try it. However, we are meant to connect our lives with the holy rhythm of God. As we do, we begin to see the sacramental nature of time, of community, and of life. Too often, we try to fit the heartbeat of heaven into our schedules, instead of scheduling our lives around the divine rhythm. When we enter into prayer, and other spiritual disciplines, we create a framework for the rest of our lives to build upon. Then, when schedules and plans fall apart, there is one steady beat that calls us back, or prepares us for something new.

This may be a time when you are not sure what to do. It may be a time when you must transition into new ways of doing things. For some, this is a time of intense labor and service to care for the rest of us. Each of us faces these changes in our own way, but behind the unique sound of each of our lives, there is the percussion section of faith and prayer giving rhythm to each moment. The score may be different, but as we learn our new parts and follow God’s holy rhythm, the music we create will be beautiful.

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It isn’t easy to praise, at least not at the moment. Disease and disruption consume our thoughts. Every day is another news briefing bringing attention to greater suffering, scarcity, and fear. People continue to battle for political power, setting an example that is mirrored in people battling one another for toilet paper. The words that come to mind in all of this seem distant from praise.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

Current events veil our eyes, blinding us to everything else. Where light breaks through, they cast a shadow obscuring our perception. Our eyes and ears are conditioned to see and hear fear, a mind-numbing and paralyzing emotion. Rejoicing seems a thing of the past, while we remain captive to negativity.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

What if we are not required to follow the script? If we broke free from the common, predictable response and embraced a new story. We could write our own narrative and live within our own fantasy, or we could see ourselves cast in a much larger play than we imagined. Here, between distraction and desperation, we can embrace our role in the divine drama unfolding over the course of human history. We can find faith in themes of hope and deliverance, and receive eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

In one of the great, previous scenes, we find the Apostle Paul and his friend Silas in prison for distributing faith. The vision of faith can upset those who seek control through threats and fear-mongering. Facing a certain demise at daybreak, they wait in their cell. If ever there was a time for fear, for discouragement, and for hopelessness, this was it, yet their voices were not joined in complaint or worry. No, they were singing, joyously lifting their voices in praise together.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

The result of such praise in prison was a great shaking. the cell doors were opened and they were set free. The power of their praise also impacted the rest of the prison, including the guard, who experienced a radical, God-made transformation in his life. Not every physical, prison door is opened by praise, but we can be liberated from worry and fear through a perspective of praise.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

It is easy to praise when everything is perfect. The real power of praise is revealed when, in spite of circumstances, we find reasons to rejoice in the Lord. Occasions for praise surround us. If we will look with Spirit-opened eyes, if we will hear with Spirit-opened ears, we will discover that what is praiseworthy radically outshines reasons for fear.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

As people of faith, we do not deny reality. In fact, our response is quite the opposite. We name the truth of our circumstances, but we name the whole truth. We do not stop at the challenge. We expand our focus to see a bigger picture. We become lovers of the beautiful, the faithful, and the hopeful. We stand, trusting in God, staring at the obstacle before us, and boldly declare our praise in the face of adversity. Then, we wait for the shaking that sets us free.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

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I’m anxious. There, I said it, the dreaded statement Christians are not supposed to say. I can already hear the words forming in the mind of many of the faithful, “We’re people of faith, not fear. We are not to be anxious. Just trust. What is there to worry about if God is with us?” Anxiety, it would seem is a sign of week faith; a lack of trust in God.

I believe, in most cases, these comments come from a desire to do good, but I often wonder if the people who say them truly believe them. I also wonder what God thinks when we dismiss a person’s real feelings, and when we imply that those feelings are a sign of spiritual weakness.

I lost a close friend in a tragic car accident while in college, and I was given an opportunity to speak at her funeral. A few moments before the service began, I met with the pastor who told me, “I don’t want anything negative or sad. This is a celebration of her life and of her continued life with God.” I did, and do, celebrate her life, and I find comfort in her place with God. None of that made my heart hurt any less. I spoke a few words that celebrated our friendship, but inside, I was hurting and suddenly, very angry.

Too often, Christians try to live in a state of denial, or try to make others live that way. I wonder why it is so difficult for us to make room for human emotion. I wonder why we want to quickly make it all better. That approach doesn’t make much sense in light of Scripture. We hear lament in the voices of many of the faithful ancients. Numerous psalms are filled with a heart of brokenness, fear, and anxiety. There is even an entire book of Lamentations. Why are we surprised when people express those feelings now?

I know the texts we love to quote, and yes I believe they are truth, but I also believe that God knows our hearts, and the way to bring us healing and peace. Sometimes, that way is through hard emotions.

I often think of Jesus in his final hours, praying in the garden, crying out to God, so emotional he was sweating drops of blood. Clearly, he felt the flood of human emotion. Then my sarcasm kicks in and I think, “I wonder if his disciples reminded him that all things work together for good; that we are to be anxious for nothing; that God has everything under control…” Is that what Jesus needed, or did he need his friends to wait with him while he struggled.

I am not mocking the Scripture, nor it’s power to speak hope in despair, peace in anxiety, and life in death. I do wonder if that power is made more manifest when we can speak the truth about where our heart is, or say what we really feel. We don’t have to stay in our anxious feelings, but we should be honest about where we are.

So yes, I am anxious. Moment by moment, I put that anxiety into God’s hands. Slowly, I surrender it and find slightly more peace filling those spaces. Piece by piece, God uses my weakness to demonstrate divine strength and renew my spirit. God does not deny my feelings, but offers to take that load from me and replace it with something light and beautiful. Sometimes, it is instantaneous, other times it is a process. I can be filled with anxiety and still be faithful. So can you. You do not need to deny your feelings. God will meet you in the midst of them, sit with you in your struggle, then take your hand and guide your steps forward.

Our circumstances may create anxiety, but our God creates faith and hope. In the end, the Master Creator makes all things new. This is where we find faith in the middle of our fear.

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Four weeks of Advent anticipation brought us to this moment, Christmas is upon us. Many of us will gather for worship tonight, celebrating the birth of Jesus. Many families will make time for private worship to bless one another in celebration of God’s great love.

Many people will not see the spiritual reality playing out before them. Like the multitudes in Bethlehem two millennia ago, the busyness of the season, families, and expectations will eclipse the monumental event that takes place in an unexpected place. There, in the midst of the ordinary Christmas chaos, all heaven is about to break loose.

It would be hard to deny that we live in tumultuous times. Deep divisions surround us, hatred seems commonplace, and fear is a ubiquitous emotion. Cultural prophets declare doom and destruction, while media capitalizes on the fear that grips us. If we were to believe all that we are told, everything is going to hell, but is it really?

We tend to think that our circumstances are unique, that our times are different than what came before us and we define the world through our daily experience. That may be normal, but it is very myopic. We are not the first to believe the world was falling apart, nor is our world the whole world. We are not the first to need good news, nor are we the first to receive it. Amidst the shouting of bad reports, is the small, steady declaration of Good News. It is the darkness that surrounds us that is about to be pierced with the brightness of heaven, and the darkness will not overcome it (John 1:5).

While the fear-mongers attempt to play upon our emotions, we are bold to believe that, “of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:7) Those who profit from the spirit of fear will do everything in their power to kill our hope and faith. Like King Herod who knew a messiah would dethrone him and was willing to resort to drastic measures to hold on to what he possessed, so modern Herods panic when faced with the loss of their position and control.

In spite of their best efforts, just as on the first Christmas, heaven breaks loose and nothing can stop it. Angels proclaim the good news to those who are waiting and reveal the wonder of the heavens in sight and song. The heavens declare the glory of God, calling the attentive to journey to the beauty of the new creation. In ordinary mangers of human hearts, the precious gift of heaven is born, and nothing in all of creation can separate us from him.

As we approach this blessed Christmas Eve, let the world shout a fearful message, for we know there is a better word. Let people trust in government leaders, power, wealth, and all the other trappings of the world, for our hope is in the name of the Lord. Once again, let us go to Bethlehem to see this thing that has happened. Let us seek the Savior born to us, who is Christ the Lord. Let us look into the eyes of the Love of heaven and adore him, for, through him, all heaven is about to break loose.

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