Spirit-Led Living—A Simple Path
In its most simple form, Spirit-led living is listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and then cooperating as fully and quickly as possible. Listen and cooperate, listen and cooperate, in one situation after another. Step by step, a long string of saying, “Yes,” to the Holy Spirit becomes a Spirit-led life. The concept of “cooperation” with God, normally emphasized by the Catholics (to describe the proper use of a regenerated human will) is sometimes shunned by Protestants (to some, it sounds too much like works-righteousness). Yet, in using the concept here, I am not talking about relying on ourselves to do the will of God in our own strength, but rather utilizing our human faculties to “go with the flow” of the Spirit.
Do Whatever You Can!
Myanmar (Burma) is roiling. In recent weeks, some 370,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from northern Rakhine State (western Myanmar) to neighboring Bangladesh. The underlying tensions driving this mass exodus are somewhat complicated, with roots going back decades. Rohingya Muslims (immigrants from Bangladesh over the past century or so, who are denied rights to citizenship), Rakhine Buddhists (the majority group there, some of whom still want independence from Myanmar), and the Burmese military (mostly Buddhist soldiers, who principally protect the interests of the Bama ethnic majority group in Myanmar) have a history of fighting violently with one another. The unresolved, and seemingly unresolvable, conflicts are wreaking havoc in this region.
Do I Dare Say It? The Emperor Has No Clothes.
We are living in a nightmare that is getting worse by the day. Not only have we lost our ability as a nation to talk rationally and civilly with one another and to resolve our differences peaceably, our country has not been this divided since the Civil War. We’re coming apart at the seams. Violently.
Grieving Our Losses
The passage from Psalm 137 describes intense emotions of grief and rage in the face of loss and tragedy. Referencing the horrible suffering and destruction in Myanmar today, the author reflects on the stages of grief and offers insight on coping strategies. Encouraging acknowledgment of pain while emphasizing the eventual return of hope and purpose, the author finds solace in the assurance of divine presence and guidance. This blog post acknowledges the complexities of human emotions and offers a message of hope and resilience in the face of adversity from a Christian perspective.
Don't Forget to Stay Grounded
Jesus chastised the disciples because they were letting their circumstances unnerve them. They were giving too much power to their fears, forgetting that following Jesus into the boat calls for trusting God through the storm.