Faith Venture

The driver bringing me home from a late flight from California to Chicago asks, “Do you know who you’re voting for?”

Questions beginning with a verb are easy. They are yes or no.

“Yes,” I answer. That’s easy. (No, I’m not telling you who.)

But…

“Who?” he asks bluntly.

I think, “Great. I don’t want a 10 pm discussion after a long day and a 5-hour flight.” But I tell him. Then I ask a leading question. It didn’t take much. He was talkative.

I heard a phrase recently—when someone disagrees with you, get curious. Ask questions.

Most (all?) people want to talk about themselves. Ask what they think. Why they think it. What are their fears. What are their hopes.

That can calm argumentativeness. Agreement and understanding may be beyond reach. But détente—maybe.

It starts with tiredness and dehydration. The throat begins to feel sore. Sinuses are dry.

In the fall perhaps it’s ragweed. In the spring, myriad possibilities.

The pollen finds a welcome home.

The body’s physical systems become out of sync.

Practicing disciplines of hydration, nutrition, exercise, the body’s rhythms will be restored.

+ + +

It starts with a comment, spoken or read. From acquaintance or news source.

Distraction or tiredness allows the thought entry into the mind.

Soon our thoughts dwell on fear of others, uncertainty of future life, doubt of others.

Our minds and souls are captured.

We must gather our inner forces. Remember to live with intention.

Practicing disciplines of study, prayer, worship, gathering with guides, and our emotional and spiritual rhythms will be restored.

We think that we will study spiritual writing. We think about that for a month or two. We make a list:

• Buy a Bible
• Buy a study guide
• Look for a class
• Scroll through YouTube searching for a compatible teacher

We think that we really should begin with prayer and meditation. We heard that we should have a special chair or perhaps a prayer cushion. Maybe we need an aromatherapy candle. Maybe we should buy a cross. We think. We make a list:

• Set aside a space
• Tell ourselves to awaken 30 minutes earlier
• Determine the kind of chair of pillow
• Tell ourselves what time slot we’ll pray

Do we ever study? Do we ever pray and meditate?

No.

We think about it. Thinking about these things gives us great pleasure. People ask. We say that yes, we have decided to study and pray. We feel spiritual.

Or…

We pull a copy of the Bible from the shelf. Blow off the dust. Open to a Gospel. And start reading. We let our imagination and curiosity loose. We have questions and find someone to discuss those.

Or…

We pause in the early morning even for just a moment. We close our eyes. We regulate our breathing—slow down, in/out,  in rhythm. We turn our thoughts toward God. Recognizing that the thoughts will drift, we gently return to God. It may only be five minutes. Or even two. But, we did it. And it feels better.

Someday could be today.