C. S. Lewis Archives – Facets of Faith

Hey, friend! Welcome to FACETS. We hope you’ll be blessed by our shares this month. We’re thinking about how a weary world can rejoice…

As I (Jennifer) sit to write this post, it’s November—very early for me to be writing a post, honestly. I like to wait on my FACETS work because I hope to be in step with what’s happening in the world while keeping in step with the Spirit. But, back to the chompin’-at-the-bit early thing: that has been the gist of the end of this year for me and many friends. Are we all trying to escort 2020 out the door as fast as we can? It’s been a rough year, hasn’t it? Maybe you’re weary…maybe the world is.

The weary world rejoices…

This month’s topic came directly from lyrics you might know. This year, I feel the songwriter’s attuned pen in my life. 2020 has felt—heavy. I never expected to watch the entire year float away. Everyone I know has commented on being socially distant and fractured, financially pressed and depressed, and internally restless and stressed. It’s hard to ignore that disease, disorder, and death (of people’s lives and dreams) are heavy on me, you, the world.

Rejoicing?

You gotta be kiddin’ me! I sat down to write, and my heart wanted to say those words with a bit of snark. I had no idea what to say to the mom trying to work a full-time job and homeschool her children in absence of the support she needs. I wasn’t sure I could genuinely encourage the woman who’s been out of work in 2020 for more months than she’s worked. If the gifts are the highlight of the season in a person’s heart, this might be some polar train heading for derailment. How do we even get into the mood to rejoice? In my area, so many things are shut down. And lots of people’s wallets shut down this year, too.

Painfully real

Can I be real? I struggle in the holiday season some years, and this year is not only no exception but also exceptionally challenging. My introverted self has over-charged. If I’ve learned anything, I know I desperately n-ee-ee-ee-eed people! As an over-thinker, I rely on others to connect deeply and interrupt my little echo chamber with fresh truth, love, grace, and humor. That’s much better than self-talk in my outside voice. My Labradors and rabbits think I’m talking to them, but—ummm, no. Neighbors may be concerned? And I’ve just got to laugh at someone else’s quick wit—on the outside!

I’m weary. Loneliness appeared as a tiny crack in March, but it’s widened to canyon proportions. Not having regular work has been sad for me and my friends. The disconnection from people is hard. Conversations are infrequent, and I feel an awkward “drive-thru connection” mentality developing.

“Hi, how are you?”
“I’m okay—except for the million things going wrong this month…
“I’m sorry it’s so hard.” (My stuff is nothing.)
“I’ve got to go. Thanks for listening!”
“Sure. I’ll pray for you—” (Awww, I feel with her!)

Some of us carry others’ loads in a way that deeply affects us. More than we might say. Without regular connection and time to process pain, a fast conversation can be too heavy. We can’t (and shouldn’t try) to fix others’ troubles. Our pain and others’ pain—it’s painfully real. What do we do?

Be real

Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden: it is easier to say “My tooth is aching” than to say “My heart is broken.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Lewis nails it. I learned something new about extremes this year. I might keep silent.

I was mute and silent;
I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse. Psalm 39:2

Or I might admit there’s trouble, sharing all the details.

“Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Job 19:23

And some days’ trouble could fill a book!

The second looks like processing, but I still miss it: the faith-filled, introspective look; the safety and love in honest relationship to God, myself, and safe others; and the peace that comes from the nearness of God.

Can I admit my heart is broken? Can I genuinely share the road I’m walking is terribly lonely, and I can’t bear it? Concealing pain is a wrong move for me. I hamster-wheel the events, problems, and my solutions (Read: problem-solving echo chamber). I know God’s and others’ wisdom should be welcome!

Share the weary

This is the importance of God and safe people in everyday life. Humans simply must connect deeply; we were made for that. Deep, vulnerable sharing isn’t for every relationship, and it’s not for the shallow, hurried, too-short conversation in passing. It is for a select few, safe relationships. I believe my Heavenly Father loves me (and you!), and He wants faith-filled people to lovingly choose to walk through the best, worst, and wonky stuff in life.

Walking through the weary

How do we do it? Let’s try some of this:

* Realize my mind and heart need calibration with absolute truth.
* Be honest with God, myself, and a few safe people.
* Trust God with all my raw emotions and troubles.
* Trust an equipped, faith-filled, safe person with the raw emotions.
* Resist “drive-thru” connection.
* Participate in relationships as both a giver and receiver.
* Be available for others as a faith-filled giver.

I love that pain and weariness shared is a lighter load, when it’s done right.

A weary world can rejoice!

The Father sent Jesus in order to resolve our biggest pain and trouble—the problem of sin and death.

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.

The gift of the Savior—you and I can rejoice over His advent! You are, and I am, that valuable!

And then He created a community of people who would walk through this temporary, wearying experience together, loving Him and loving others well.

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains He shall break
For the slave is our brother
And in His Name
All oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy
In grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy Name

Why can I choose to rejoice? King David reminds me—

I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have known the distress of my soul, Psalm 31:7

He knows our hearts and minds. He knows the amazing and the awful in our lives. We can trust Him with disease, disorder, and distress. Thank you, God!

The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees,
Oh, hear the angel voices
O night divine,
O night when Christ was born
O night divine,
O night, O night divine

Closing out 2020 and going forward

At the close of this very hard year would you care to join me as I soak in this? Choose to make it your own, if you like.

I am not alone because Jesus, Immanuel, is “God with us” and chose to come for me. I have a Savior in Jesus and a Weariness Warrior in His Holy Spirit. There is the “thrill of hope” in just that!

I will be gut-level honest with God, myself, and a few safe people. I have to choose to lean in, but it will be worth it! Loads will be lightened.

I commit to faithfulness in my relationship with God, first; complete honesty and gentleness with myself; and full and genuine participation in relationships as a giver and a receiver.

It’s a manifesto, I suppose. This is how I will address the weariness in my world and how I’ll support others in theirs!

How are you handling your weary world? How can I help? Who will you help? Pop a comment below or at our Facebook page. Don’t forget—sharing is caring. Who else might be encouraged by FACETS of faith?

Hey, friend, welcome to FACETS. Have you checked out our topic this month? We’ve been wrestling with the question deeply because the war with this enemy has meaningful implications. This is war! And the enemy has a plan. Tracy shared here thoughts here, and you’ll have the opportunity to read Megan’s post next week. I’m super-excited to welcome back our guest, Tammy Chapman, this month, so don’t miss her thoughts the fourth week!

It’s “puppy time” in my world this week, and I’m asking for grace. The timing of my post is a little off, but—you know, puppies! *Giggle* I hope you find the words thought-provoking. (I know I did, the whole time I was writing it!)

How does the enemy try to silence you?

Ahhh, there’s the rub. Look at all the assumptions made in that single question—that there is an enemy actively and nefariously working in opposition, and (in this instance) he is working to silence me.

We have an enemy.

Once upon a time I was oblivious to the reality of the two kingdoms at war in this world. Not surprising, since the unseen is often completely ignored or decidedly focused on with misleading information. One of my favorite reads on the subject is The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. The beauty of the short book is to present a dialogue illuminating the existence of an evil empire and the plans of the enemy. If you haven’t read it, I recommend the 31-letter correspondence between a senior demon (Screwtape) and his nephew (Wormwood). As a point of clarification, when Lewis refers to “Enemy,” he is referring to the main characters’ enemy, God.

I’m quoting Lewis and Scripture because both point to a reality—we have an enemy, and he has a plan.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Our enemy is at work.

When an enemy wages war, how does he do it? Two words: tailor made. Warfare goes after the target’s physical and emotional safety through geography, resources, and most basic needs. Every target has slightly different territory, means, core beliefs, and essentials. The “wise” enemy sizes up the situation and leverages everything to his advantage. Wouldn’t you?

“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,…Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.” ― C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

If I had no belief in the God Who Saves, why would my enemy need to be concerned with an attack on that front. He would, in my opinion, spend more time keeping the reality of the Kingdom of God from entering my mind altogether.

“It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.” ― C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

How destructive to our enemies’ plans if we knew and trusted completely in God, the Lover of our souls! And that has little to do with the perfect life, rose-colored glasses, or every answered prayer. The greatest warfare we wage on our enemy is through love and obedience in response to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

“Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy’s will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.” ― C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

How does the enemy work in a life?

The enemy builds a strategy from the same playbook; there’s nothing all that novel. Identifying tactics you’ve seen before may be a window to the current attack. That’s definitely true in my own life. If the enemy can get me to distrust the goodness of God, doubt my core identity, or ride the spiral of pride and shame down to the pit, he thinks he’s got a successful plan.

And he might…if I begin to believe the lies and question the trusting faith that reunites me with my heavenly Father and saves me from sin and death.

“A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all—and more amusing.” ― C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

The lies are passing thoughts at first. Over time, Christianity becomes “weak.” The Bible becomes a dusty book on a shelf. My life becomes “a shameful story no one would want to hear”—and I wouldn’t dare share! And that is the desired effect, isn’t it? Moderated Christianity portrayed powerless, culturally irrelevant, and heaping guilt and shame.

I could become the silent observer in this world waiting for the next. After all, if anyone knew what really goes on in my mind…heart…life. It would be too easy.

Unless—

Truth wages war on lies and the “father of lies.”

When I think of the enemy’s warfare, I know one thing: truth trumps a lie. A mind occupied with truth doesn’t fall for the lie.

My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. Psalm 62:7 NLT

Think about that.

God is victorious, so we are.
Any honor we have is from God.
And He is our safe place!

No harm or condemnation. We are loved, honored, and cherished. If we choose to join His life, He joins us in ours.

Who wouldn’t want to tell the unsuspecting sojourner in this world that there’s a good God who saves us from sin and into the Kingdom of light?

It’s a battle.

It really is a battle between two kingdoms, but it’s not as if the Kingdom of God is in jeopardy. We can and do know how the story ends. Until that time, I pray for you the way Paul prayed:

…I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:14b-19 NLT

Friend, do not be silenced! We have the honest truth, the real good news! I pray that we will know the truth, and that truth will produce freedom for each of us and the people in our lives. It really is something to talk about. We cannot stay silent.

Thank you for reading all the words. It is a blessing to know some of you personally, both face-to-face and at a distance. It would make my day to hear your thoughts in the comments below or at the Facebook Page.

And please, consider introducing the Facets to your friends and family. We’d love to meet them!

A Weary World Needs Relationship to Rejoice