Faith has nothing to do with being cheerful all the time or only seeing the good in the world. If you enter the mission of Jesus...your heart breaks. That does not feel good and it does not look good. Spouting arrogant wisdom and Christian cliches isn't helpful and is just plain false and damages real Christian community and isolates us from the watching world around us.
Struggling isn't a faith crisis or doubting the power of God. Life is hard and messy. I would rather curl up in a pew with the Bible and a new moleskine journal unattached to human suffering and sorrow, but I don't see that kind of discipleship in the Bible. I promise you, I have looked! There are more needs around me than I can attend to. It takes time, tears, perseverance and bravery to go into the darkest places with others. Jesus went there, but he wasn't always chipper about it. His heart broke "when He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." (Matt. 9:36)
"During His earthly life, He offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the One who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence." (Hebrews 5:7)
We are told to have hope and groan at the same time as we wait for redemption in Romans 8:22-25
I hope that there does not come a day when I am no longer affected by fallen humanity around me that I do not grieve. If I had a robe, I would tear it in half and if I had some ashes, I would put them on my head. I am so weak but He is strong.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness." (2 Cor 12:9)
I am not crying because God is failing us, I am crying because of suffering, injustice and sin gripping the lives of many. My God never said, "Focus on the good in your world or people might think you don't trust me". God wept over His people, "Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for the virgin daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow"(Jer. 14:17) "Jesus wept" over the death of His friend. (John 11:35) We are not grieved at God, we are grieved with God, we are not mad at God but with God, we are not fighting against God but beside Him, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms"(Eph. 6:12)
So, fellow brothers and sisters living in the middle of your own personal suffering or living in the middle of other people's real pain, broken marriages, addictions, abuse and injustice, let us not fear real emotion connected to the fight and believe it's a lack of faith.
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18)
If anyone tells you, "this is just how the world is, suck it up" they are most likely not in the fight and sitting on the sidelines or in the comfortable pew mentioned earlier.
As Aaron and Hur held up Moses hands during the battle against the Amalekites when he became tired and weary, so should Christian community take turns propping up one another in the fight.
The Holy Spirit is a comforter for a reason. We will need comfort in the fight. We continue the fight not against but with our good God who redeemed our lives and invited us into this great mission.
"We press on toward the goal to win the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
(Phil. 3:14)
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