This is why god's disappointment is necessary

Winn Collier's fine little book 'Let God: Spiritual Conversations with Francois Fenelon' is broken into eight "conversations" (some might call these 'sections,' or 'chapters'), with several letters making up each conversation. 

The First Conversation is "Why is God So Peculiar?" It sets a good tone.

Collier says on p.2 "Becoming a follower of God is hard because it requires that we submit ourselves fully to a God who is other than us."

Yeah... that right there says so much. It is hard. And for everyone who believes we can create God in our image... he is quick to set us straight...

"But God won't leave us to wallow there. He will help us, but he must upset our addiction to control... This is why God's disappointment is necessary. He is helping us, peeling back our fingers, loosening our white-knuckled grip from our life..."

Man... I so relate to that. It's why it has taken 60+ years for my mind to even begin to catch up to my body. And both are still changing! But I'm glad. Because control is a difficult thing to admit we have little of... and also something many/most of us are addicted to.

Later in this section is this translation of Fenelon's work via Collier:

"The rough, humbling waters have wrecked your self-confidence.

And this is good. There is hope in the humility we find on a hard path and in rough waters."

Are you struggling right now? Whether it be work-related, family, relational, inner self, health, financial... whatever... What if this is all due to your white-knuckle grip on control of your life? What would happen if you simply... let go?

A saying the wife and I are fond of us, "What's the worst that could happen?" Seriously... what's the worst that could happen? Really. In light of eternity... 

 

"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope.

With less of you there is more of God and his rule."

- Matthew 5:3 (The Message)