The Reading Today
• Daily Theme: Loving God as an act of the will, the danger of manufacturing devout emotions, and the absolute constancy of God's love.
• Source Material: Mere Christianity
• Source Material: Mere Christianity
My Reflection
Today’s excerpt sees Lewis reminding us about love and faith, concepts that can often feel intensely abstract in the context of the Deity. Lewis highlights a particular struggle of mine relating to the commandment that one must love God. My own faith can be so precarious. When I am trying to live a Christian life and uphold those values, the weight of it all can feel completely overwhelming at times.
When these doubts arise and I struggle to find those "devout feelings" Lewis mentions, I am reminded of a story my late step-mother told me. When my father, David, passed away, she was visited by the local vicar to discuss the funeral service. She confessed to the vicar that she was deeply concerned about the service because David did not actually believe in God.
The vicar gently replied, “…while David may not have believed in God, God believed in him.”
I feel this beautiful sentiment has a direct parallel with what Lewis is saying today about our relationship with God. Whilst we as humans may struggle, doubt, and waver in our feelings, God does not. God is constant. I find this thought profoundly comforting in times of doubt. We do not need to sit around trying to artificially manufacture devout emotions.
There is a line in a song dealing with the fragility of human existence that echoes my feelings precisely: “We make it up as we go along.” We are all just doing our best, navigating precarious faith day by day. Lewis reassures us that this is entirely acceptable, because the foundation of our faith is not our fleeting emotions, but rather a Love that is never wearied by our indifference.
Today’s excerpt sees Lewis reminding us about love and faith, concepts that can often feel intensely abstract in the context of the Deity. Lewis highlights a particular struggle of mine relating to the commandment that one must love God. My own faith can be so precarious. When I am trying to live a Christian life and uphold those values, the weight of it all can feel completely overwhelming at times.
When these doubts arise and I struggle to find those "devout feelings" Lewis mentions, I am reminded of a story my late step-mother told me. When my father, David, passed away, she was visited by the local vicar to discuss the funeral service. She confessed to the vicar that she was deeply concerned about the service because David did not actually believe in God.
The vicar gently replied, “…while David may not have believed in God, God believed in him.”
I feel this beautiful sentiment has a direct parallel with what Lewis is saying today about our relationship with God. Whilst we as humans may struggle, doubt, and waver in our feelings, God does not. God is constant. I find this thought profoundly comforting in times of doubt. We do not need to sit around trying to artificially manufacture devout emotions.
There is a line in a song dealing with the fragility of human existence that echoes my feelings precisely: “We make it up as we go along.” We are all just doing our best, navigating precarious faith day by day. Lewis reassures us that this is entirely acceptable, because the foundation of our faith is not our fleeting emotions, but rather a Love that is never wearied by our indifference.
Why This Matters
Stripping away the pressure to constantly feel devout is incredibly liberating. It allows us to accept our human fragility and precarious faith, shifting the focus from our own wavering emotions to the steady, unchanging constancy of God.
My Action for Today
Today, when I feel overwhelmed or disconnected, I will not try to force or manufacture a spiritual feeling. I will simply try to do the next right thing, resting in the comfort that God's belief in us is constant.
Today, when I feel overwhelmed or disconnected, I will not try to force or manufacture a spiritual feeling. I will simply try to do the next right thing, resting in the comfort that God's belief in us is constant.
Reader Question
Have you ever felt the pressure to manufacture "devout feelings," and how do you navigate the times when your faith feels precarious?
No comments:
Post a Comment