Our Red Tent

 Thoughts on Session One: Walking Our Faith

Welcome back, Red Tent Sisters!! 

Wow...how wonderful it was to be back with all of you who could make it this week. As usual, both Lorraine and I were SO grateful for the openness and sincerity with which everyone shared your hearts, your minds and your thoughts. THANK YOU, ladies! We thank God for each and every one of you.

Also, for those of you who are only able to join us over cyberspace, know that we pray for you at the beginning of each session...asking the HolySpirit to bless you wherever you are, with some little manifestation of our love during the 90minutes we are gathered around you in spirit. We love you and miss you!

So, for this class, we had asked everyone to choose a verse or two that would speak life and light (and hope!) into whatever might be weighing upon or casting about in our hearts and on our minds. The thoughts that flowed forth were as diverse as the individuals within our little group--and spoke powerfully of the multiplicity of facets and deep levels of everything we are experiencing as we all journey through the unprecedented nature of the state of our nation and our world health.

Our discussions started with the serious contemplation of the heavy responsibility (and the lingering consequences/tolls) of taking on leadership roles without right judgment and counsel of God. (Is 51:17-18) And then, we quickly morphed into the poignant warning about judging another when we, too, have yet to judge ourselves. (Matt 7:1-3) We spoke about the power we have been given by God, through our actions, our reactions, our words, our thoughts and our deeds, to create...and to destroy. 

How well do we understand that powerful connection we all have to each other? Do we use it FOR one another? or AGAINST each other...?

We discussed the stressors of young families struggling with these unfamiliar times, juggling jobs, households, shaky finances, remote learning for young children, all while trying to protect our loved ones and communities through social distancing and self-isolation. We were reminded how there is no time like now to lean upon God to restore ourselves with and in His HolySpirit gifts of calm, lovingkindness, and soundness of mind. (Gal 5:22-26; Ps 91)

How much do we lean upon God instead of our own (poor and limited) understanding? Whom have we placed upon the throne in the Throne Room of our heart? To what have we given permission to reign over our lives?

We talked about how gaining/maintaining life and actually living it(i.e. not merely surviving it!) depended upon "living in Christ", "having Christ", "seeing/being/hearing/acting in...Christ"...and how that is actually, well, quite difficult! (2 John 1:6, 1 John 5:11-12) I LOVED when someone shared the gentle words of Fr Jayke's counsel given to her when she asked how to deal with a persistently fractious family member.  

"LOOK her in the face," he said, "and SEE the face of Christ..."

 Whoa...! 

Who do I see when I look into the angry, cantankerous face of my neighbor? Can I find God buried deep within that soul...and respond to Him? Or will I react only to the vestiges of fear and loss of control that manifest in the words spewed forth from a heart so filled with confusion that it has forgotten the love of the Creator within...? Will I, too, "forget"?

From there, we moved into a discussion about how important it is to look INWARD (both in ourselves and in others), in order to discover the God that resides within. (Eph 3:16-17; Eph 1:18). Self-reflection, true humility, and surrender allows us to seek--and find--the powerful divinity that lives, restores and transforms us from within. The HolySpirit calls to us from within, urging us to encounter the God that has proclaimed that He will never abandon us, who has promised that upon seeking Him, we WILL find Him, that when we search for Him, He IS there. We talked about how prayers to our God are always meant to be more than lip service, more than "words spoken mindlessly as if thrown at a wall". Conversations...with a living, loving, active God who lives, loves and acts with, in and through EACH one of us.

Am I actually living a resurrected life? Do I truly believe and walk in the promises of the divinity that resides SO powerfully within me? Can I see HIM within every one...even in the crotchety family member whose prickles we would do anything to avoid...? Am I the one that God has asked to bring life and light into that person's world...and, will I run away from His call? or can I answer with everything HE has given to me, shown to me, been for me for just such a moment as this?

As expected, our discussion never wavered far from the fear-fueled anxiety and uncertainty of survival in the midst of a pandemic. We were so wonderfully reminded about how to occupy our minds, taking our thoughts captive onto Christ, and "remembering to remember" (Phil 4:4-7; 2Cor 5:7; Mark 9:23-24; Ps 46:10). 

What words do I repeat to myself when life seems to be spinning out of my control? With whose thoughts do I align my own? Is it with the words of the God that call me into life and hope no matter what? or is it with the words of the world that constantly pressure me to buckle, give up, spit out curses, and...die?

We also talked about how discerning GOD's voice over all others IS the key to being able to walk steadfastly through the chaos of the world around us, to walk justly through the dark actions of the ones who are so confused that they no longer care about anything but self-survival in a world that seems only to speak hate and division and hurt. To not lose our integrity even in the face of the ones who were meant to lead us but who instead stand in the doorways to freedom, not allowing anyone past. To walk in Truth, consistently, with intent, unwaveringly, with purpose and thoughtful reflection, resolvedly, with quiet determination, humbly, with full knowledge of God's hand and heart. (Micah 6:8)

Oh, how hard it is to walk justly with God's intent and God's heart, and God' mind. But...with HIS strength, and with HIS mercy, and with HIS love growing within me...is there anything that is impossible? Whom do I stand for? For whom do I walk as ambassador--with my thoughts, in my actions, through my words?

And finally, we ended our discussion with the power of our words--both spoken and unspoken, but especially when spoken in alignment with the truth in our hearts. (Acts 11:14; Prov 18:21; Prov 12:18; Matt 12:34; Mark 11:23-24) We talked about how the sincerity of our hearts will come forth through our words. When our words are aligned with whatever we hold truly in our hearts (both negative AND positive!), then the power we have will unleash itself into our connections with ourselves and others in the physical realm, and more importantly, into our connections with each other in the spiritual realm. This creative power can create life...or invite death on so many levels beyond our physical imagination. We talked about how engaging in true conversation (while growing in active relationship) with God allows us to discern what is the true state of our heart? He teaches us discernment of His voice and of His counsel as we walk with Him, helping us to peer into what "truths" we have buried within our souls, in the deepest corners of our hearts and minds. It's much like what happens whenever we grow in active relationship with anyone who calls us Beloved and who desires only the best for us. We are divinely transformed into the BEST version of ourselves!

We talked about how that which we desire--both spoken and unspoken--will drive us, compel us, cause us to act in ways we might not realize. We talked about how important, therefore, it is to KNOW what drives us, what compels us to ask for what we are asking, what is the true intent of our desires...and how to make sure that our desires align with God's. (Ps 37:4)

Do I "delight myself" in the Lord? Do I enter His gates with Thanksgiving? Do I enter His courts with Praise? or do I storm heaven with MY desires, leading the march with ME, MYSELF and I and whatever MY will wants to so proudly, so loudly demand? How do I surrender my full self into His arms for His healing, so that I can delight myself with the desires HE places into my heart?

The thread that coursed through our discussions, throughout every verse became clear to me as Lorraine and I came together to review our first session together: in order to Walk Our Faith, we need to Lean Upon God with EVERY STEP...and then place ourselves squarely into the confidence of God's will, God's plan, and God's kairos time.

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble. (Ps 46:1, NIV)

Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7, NRSVC)

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4, NRSVC)

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7 NKJV)

“Look at the nations and watch—
    and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
    that you would not believe,
    even if you were told. (Hab 1:5, NIV)

Ok, I think that's pretty much it for our summary from this week's gathering. Feel free to add a comment, write a new post, put in your thoughts, more verses, rhema...etc! Let's keep the discussion going, ladies :)

Love

Maggie