The road to transformation

How do we react when someone catches us in a mistake? Defensive? Who me? Angry? You don’t know what you are talking about? If we are caught in a moral failure, well we don’t call it a moral failure, we call it a peccadillo. David Brooks in his book, The Road to Character, reminds that we need to rediscover the word, sin. Brooks observes, “Today, the word ‘sin’ has lost its power and awesome intensity. It’s used most frequently in the context of fattening desserts” (p. 53). If we are going to rebuild virtue, we need know that we are part of the “crooked timber” of humanity. The way to rebuilding virtue is to travel the road of confession and repentance. St. Paul said it this way,

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

When confronted by our human failing, by our sin, instead of wishing we had not been caught, we need to acknowledge our deeds and to seek redress. This is what St. Paul means “godly sorrow.” Frank admission of our moral failings opens the door to moral reformation and the growth of character our world needs.

Ronald Friesen © 2015

Bless me?

It strikes me that many American Christians think they are exempt from any kinds of struggles and afflictions. In many churches people hear messages about how they deserve to be blessed and free of troubles. It is true there are verses in the Bible that do say that those who follow God will experience blessing. However, there are many other verses that describe the challenges faced by those who follow God. Here St. Paul talks about his experience as a follower of God:

“Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;...” (2 Corinthians 6:4)

As I worship with refugees every Sunday, I am reminded that many of my fellow believers in Jesus Christ around the world do not have easy lives. We sit in an air conditioned room on comfortable chairs; in Africa they would be sitting on wooden planks under a tin room or on the ground under a tree. We worship in freedom; in China we would be sitting in fear that we would be found and imprisoned.

Yes, there are blessings for following Jesus; but, the blessings come to those who understand that suffering is part of journey:

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him”( James 1:12).

Ronald Friesen © 2015

Give me some skin

Do you ever feel uncomfortable in your skin? Not because of your appearance. You just don’t feel at home in your human body. If you are feeling this way there is a good reason according to St. Paul:

“…we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:2-4).

We are spiritual beings who are seeking our real spiritual existence and home. Unfortunately, many people fail to recognize that their dis-ease with themselves is a spiritual issue so they seek out our culture’s substitutes: money, fame, notoriety, power, sex. If they cannot get the real deal they get it vicariously by wearing and driving the brand names of their heroes, decorating their homes in keeping with the latest trends, joining a political trend, even going to the largest church in town. All of this frenetic effort is an attempt to heal the dis-ease.

We are spiritual beings having a human experience; not human beings having a spiritual experience.

There is only one cure for this dis-ease: coming home to the Creator.

Ronald Friesen © 2015