"AL and Ela Ministiries: don't kid yourself, life will still suck when you become a Christian"
Anna-Lisa and I have decided to become independent missionaries. You see, she answered the door the other day to an elderly man who asked if he could survey her. One of the questions was "do you ever experience feelings of rejection or failure in your life?" Al responded "yes," as I'm pretty sure that most of us would - I mean, c'mon, it's life. It's full of rejection and failure! Anyhoo, this man then showed her two images: one of chaos, and one of neatly lined up images, and asked which she'd prefer. He informed her that the first image was a "self-centred" life, and the second was a "Jesus-centred" life, and that if she became a christian, she would be "free from these kind of feelings [failure and rejection]."
"I AM a christian," she responded "and I think it's a huge oversimplification to say that christians never have these feelings, because we do and to tell people that we don't is setting them up for a huge disappointment."
The man had no idea what to say to that. He attempted to qualify his statement by saying being a christian would change the quality of the feelings, and our reactions to them. Anna-Lisa replied "yes, I agree, but that is NOT what you said. You told me that becoming a chrsitian would fix my life, and that is just not true."
His response? He left. He didn't know what to do with Al's suggestion that he was misrepresenting what christianity has to offer our world. Jesus was pretty clear about just how shitty life would be at times, especially if you chose to follow him. What he promised was that he'd always be with us, providing us with coping strategies and support... things that we have to grow and mature in, in order to make effective use of them.
So Al and I have decided that we want to minister to our world in honesty: don't kid yourself, life will still suck when you become a christian. The point is, now you have someone with you, leading you, loving you and guiding you through it. And that's pretty awesome.
Love you,
e.
"I AM a christian," she responded "and I think it's a huge oversimplification to say that christians never have these feelings, because we do and to tell people that we don't is setting them up for a huge disappointment."
The man had no idea what to say to that. He attempted to qualify his statement by saying being a christian would change the quality of the feelings, and our reactions to them. Anna-Lisa replied "yes, I agree, but that is NOT what you said. You told me that becoming a chrsitian would fix my life, and that is just not true."
His response? He left. He didn't know what to do with Al's suggestion that he was misrepresenting what christianity has to offer our world. Jesus was pretty clear about just how shitty life would be at times, especially if you chose to follow him. What he promised was that he'd always be with us, providing us with coping strategies and support... things that we have to grow and mature in, in order to make effective use of them.
So Al and I have decided that we want to minister to our world in honesty: don't kid yourself, life will still suck when you become a christian. The point is, now you have someone with you, leading you, loving you and guiding you through it. And that's pretty awesome.
Love you,
e.
Labels: Religion
posted by Elizabeth @ 15:00
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