Throughout the spiritual exercises that we've been going through, I discussed briefly the idea that we are not to prefer health to sickness, wealth to poverty, etc. This idea has been coined Ignatius Indifference. I had a hard time (and to an extent still do) seeing how we cannot have preferences in how our lives play out. Here is a quote from Brian Rice that has really helped me:
"not that we don't care for the world or that we think only of the afterlife in heaven, but that the glory and grace of Christ are so supreme for us that all other things pale in their influence upon us. The things that were once attractive, alluring, beckoning, and to which we devoted so much energy to possess, have waned in their power. We have been weaned off their influence."
Amen
ReplyDeleteMy thought on this post is that the quote referenced over-spiritualizes our life in Christ. Of course the glory and grace of Christ are supreme. But we are still fully human, like Jesus was on earth. He was sinless, yet he got angry, got tired, rebuked the disciples, wept at the death of Lazarus.
ReplyDeleteLife in the Kingdom of God accords us great promises and privileges. One of them is to continue to be fully human, live out of who we are, and live in freedom (Gal 5:1).This is also part of the "glory and grace of Christ." I believe that means we do not have to strive to be more "spiritual" than we actually are at this moment. For example, the godly are not those who sin less, but those who trust God (examples: David, Abraham). God's work in us and our subsequent responses, and transformation, occur in this context. Striving to be more spiritual than I am currently actually results in hindering growth and transformation.
Receiving the love Christ, the Father, and the Spirit all have for me and living out my life in tune with God's purposes for me are what God (Father, Son, Spirit) offers us in the gospel. As that happens, we actually will see other things perhaps "paling in significance." But God fully loves us no matter how fast we progress. And he is never impatient with us. He trusts the gospel (the cross) just like we do.
Read Col 2, especially verses 8, 16, 18, 21. Paul's first personal instructions to those folks in that letter are to protect themselves from 3 things: vain philosophies, religious rules & regulations, & pseudo-spirituality. He points them in another direction: love, encouragement, assurance, & trust (Col 2:1-7).
ReplyDeletePaul knew that we, in our seriousness about God & our eagerness to learn, would be vulnerable to those false spiritualities.