spiritual crisis
Spiritual Crisis?
Feb. 20, 2025 13:43 Filed in: Commentaries
Friends,
Last weekend, the Rev. Larry Bussey preached for us. “When our love and our trust get pointed in the wrong direction, we pay a price.” Larry invited us to hear the blessings and the woes we read from the Gospel of Luke as if Jesus were speaking directly to us, and to claim “the triumph of love in the face of the lust for power and control.” You can watch the sermon here. Larry's sermon laid out the bewilderment many of us are feeling in these days.
Our Pastoral Care team discussed it this morning—it feels like a mass spiritual crisis for many of us.
My hunch—grasping in the dark here—is that many folks, especially white moderates and progressives, are feeling disoriented by the seeming loss of something we've taken for granted: stable, multicultural democracy. Those of us who feel like the kingdom of God aligns best with the Democratic Party platform are stuck: how do we live faithfully now? We feel responsible to do something. But there's too much to do, too many fronts to act on, and we aren't sure how to determine what our 'lane' is. Powerlessness and despair can ensue. That's my hunch.
Does that 'spiritual crisis' language resonate with you?
I'd love to hear from you about it. Email me: Does this moment in our homes, cities, workplaces and country feel like a spiritual crisis? How so? Is there spiritual opportunity here? What might the Holy Spirit be up to in the midst of all this? What happens when you pray about it? What kind of prayer practices are helping you see your way (or God's way?) through?
As you ponder these questions: Remember that you are deeply, unendingly loved by the God who triumphs over evil, death, and despair.
In the name of Jesus,
Susan+
Last weekend, the Rev. Larry Bussey preached for us. “When our love and our trust get pointed in the wrong direction, we pay a price.” Larry invited us to hear the blessings and the woes we read from the Gospel of Luke as if Jesus were speaking directly to us, and to claim “the triumph of love in the face of the lust for power and control.” You can watch the sermon here. Larry's sermon laid out the bewilderment many of us are feeling in these days.
Our Pastoral Care team discussed it this morning—it feels like a mass spiritual crisis for many of us.
My hunch—grasping in the dark here—is that many folks, especially white moderates and progressives, are feeling disoriented by the seeming loss of something we've taken for granted: stable, multicultural democracy. Those of us who feel like the kingdom of God aligns best with the Democratic Party platform are stuck: how do we live faithfully now? We feel responsible to do something. But there's too much to do, too many fronts to act on, and we aren't sure how to determine what our 'lane' is. Powerlessness and despair can ensue. That's my hunch.
Does that 'spiritual crisis' language resonate with you?
I'd love to hear from you about it. Email me: Does this moment in our homes, cities, workplaces and country feel like a spiritual crisis? How so? Is there spiritual opportunity here? What might the Holy Spirit be up to in the midst of all this? What happens when you pray about it? What kind of prayer practices are helping you see your way (or God's way?) through?
As you ponder these questions: Remember that you are deeply, unendingly loved by the God who triumphs over evil, death, and despair.
In the name of Jesus,
Susan+