“Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
– Horatio G. Spafford
But what if it isn’t?
I have finally reached saturation and turned my attention from the television. Between the loss of Black Lives, the Presidential election, the civic unrest, the hatred, the lying, the misogyny and every other deviant act, I no longer possess the wherewithal for the news. It’s sickening and repulsive. It is also the source of much anxiety and weariness. Truth be told, I will from time to time watch Rachel Maddow, but she too can turn my seemingly idyllic life into sour grapes with her version of the facts.
The hatred that spews forth from our society is anything but what I was taught as being Christ-like. Teachings of love, mercy and forgiveness are absent from the silver screen. I have taken to watching British TV. At least in their detective stories, the police don’t carry guns and resort to killing people because they pose an unrealized threat. The story lines are cerebral and intrigue me just because they force me to think about the intended outcome, as opposed to who’s going to get shot and how. I can’t even speak to the lack of civility that surrounds the President. Whether his fought or not, it’s there. It was bad enough watching the hatred and vitriol towards President Obama. The rantings of the 2016 elections were disgusting and crazy –making stuff
All of which leads me to today. I had the fortune to read a blog today shared by my cousin. It is titled,
“But What If It Is Not Well With My Soul?” written by John Pavlovitz.
The article speaks to the unrest and discord we feel in our country. It also addresses the pretense we Christians often assume when faced with such dire circumstances. We tell ourselves it’s God’s will and adorn this air of joy and happiness.
But it isn’t okay. We can feel what we feel; we just shouldn’t set up house there. It’s not healthy to ignore our feelings. They come out in ways that prove to be riskier than acknowledging them and moving on.
“Crying may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalms 30:5.
It is not well with my soul, and I can’t sugar-coat that fact. But it is okay. I have faith that God will restore love and peace to the land. Just as God walked with me through all my challenges in 2014-2016, God will remain faithful in this too. I just need to have patience.
In the meantime, I will pray and continue to watch British Television.
Revised from a posting written by Teri McClanahan April 12, 2016
Teri McClanahan 