Friday, 10 August 2012
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Struggles on the Spiritual Path
We live in a pluralistic culture, with many religions and philosophies believed in and followed by people at different intensities. Of course I am talking about the United States, but I also know that this is true in many other parts of the world. For me, in boils down to a ‘path’ -- or if you will, ‘spiritual path’ -- that is taken seriously and leads the one on the path to ever deepening levels of openness to the mystery of life.
Apart from different beliefs, I think that what dictates how we live any life choice is based on what we struggle with on a daily basis. Cycles happen over and over again. People can end up in the same place from where they started no matter how hard they try to stop the endless merry-go-round. Just how do you get to the place where you can get the golden ring and get off?How do we relate to others? How do those around us respond? How do I deal with addictions, with sex and of course food, something I struggle with? Do I invite abusive people into my life over and over again without consciously wanting to? How do I break it? In other words, how can I die to a way of life that is keeping me caged in an ever narrowing cycle? The answer is within of course, cliché sounding I know, but true none the less.
Any kind of death is hard, and the dying process can be truly agonizing. All you need do is ask anyone who has traversed the 12 steps; for insight into that reality. In order to live a free life, a loving life -- all that impedes that -- has to be faced and let go of, even if it takes years to do so. It is easy to cling to what is known, harder to let go of known pain for the unknown life that is waiting. This has nothing to do with cultural expectation, which can really be part of the problem. No it is divesting ourselves of all that imprisons us.
In facing the dragon, whatever form it takes, if kept up, it can be quickly learned that the pain and suffering that goes with this process, is in reality much less than the pain and suffering endured when caught on the wheel of our addictions and fears of life. Faith can lead us to embrace life fully without the compulsion to run away, it can give us a place to stand from, a point of relationship with the infinite. As a Christian that reality is Jesus Christ. However, God’s grace cannot be limited by our own human understanding of the mystery of grace at work in each human life and in history.
How do you relate to others on the spiritual path? When have you related to someone with different beliefs but similar struggles?
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About the Author
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- From: markdohle
- Name: markdohle
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- About Me: I am a Roman Catholic, who seeks to ever deepen my love of Jesus Christ.
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Comments (6)
interesting
I relate to my family members on a daily basis. Not my family in my home, but my dad, who raised me to be a good LDS girl. And it's not hard at all to relate to him, because we both talk of praying for people almost on a daily basis, I know where he's coming from and it doesn't scare me a bit, because I know what's in his heart, his being, and he knows what's in mine, and castigates me during times when I don't attend my church. I have a female pastor, and I email him her lectures, preaching, whatever you wanna call it. Sometimes he'll call me and say what she had to say made him cry. I related to my daughter, who's a buddhist. I've learned some, not as much as I should, about that, and am supportive of the pacifistic nature and meditation of the religion. We all should look for ways to related to others, rather than just refuse to acknowledge them. And lastly, if we take the Bible literally, then we better know our Greek and Hebrew before we start beating others over the head with our Bibles. I do not take it literally, simply because of all of the changes that have taken place. Make your wife stay in the house? Don't let a woman have a church position, even though Paul never travelled with Christ, and Christ actually had women traveling to other towns with his message? Got slaves in your household? Have your wife stoned if she was on the upper position during sex? And, not to mention the time frame of the authors of the Bible, and the similarities of some, and not of others. Never learned this in a Baptist church I attended. I look back and wonder why.
@Pollypinks@xanga - Very good response, thank you very much my friend. Wise as always.
peace
mark
Yes, I relate to my family members on a daily basis, but it isn't without struggles. I've had to cut the cord with my 34 year old son, and it was a painful thing to do, but at least we are still talking, and I still get to see my year old grandson. My son and his wife live like idiots, and the hardest thing for us as parents to do is let them "crap in their own nest, so to speak." If I had to do my mothering again, I'd change many things along the way, but now, at least I can give it all up to God and trust in his vision for my family. I am bipolar, passed it on to my daughter, who is much sicker than me, and the children's abusive father did a real number on my son. After we left, the court said he could have them every weekend, so I wasn't there to take the abuse. They got it. And I'll never forgive myself for that.
How do you relate to others on the spiritual path?
I had virtually gone through every stage:
Early Life: Agnostic (idk-attitude)Middle School: Antitheist (angry with anything human including spirituality and religion)High School: Christian (lacked knowledge but had simple faith in the Bible, believed in miracles, didn't know which denomination my theology belonged to, sinned boldly thinking that I did not really sin due to lack of knowledge, I thought pre-marital sex wasn't a sin lol)University BSc: pseudo-Christian (a magician, Christianised New Ager, went into trance states, had increased number of dreams, consulted psychics, at one point nearly turned Roman Catholic, pretending to be rational, discarded other parts of the Scriptures and only focused on what Jesus did in his life, also was curious about Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha)University MA: Apostolic Pentecostal Christian (studying Bible And Ministry, becoming filled with knowledge and the Holy Spirit, radically different from before, more focused on things above, more well-versed in Scriptures, accept both Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha as useful literature used by early Christians)
I can easily identify myself with the struggles of unbelievers and new believers. I had a dialogue with people from all walks of faith, those born to be Hindus, those who found no rational basis for religion, those who left Christianity, Wiccans who live radically green lifestyles and even university-trained Taoist lecturers. While unable to see whether most of them had been converted to Christianity through my evangelism, I am growing and developing in my ministry through dependence on the Holy Spirit and studying the Holy Scriptures.
When have you related to someone with different beliefs but similar struggles?
Yes.
@nowayout001@xanga - I appreciate your journey...thanks for sharing. I can relate to what I interpret you say. I started an outreach in public housing and met many people including believers, non-believers and believers of other faiths (yogi). I started a business with friends who are immigrants who were raised Hindu, muslim and Jewish. I've had intimate conversation with with a new age healer.
I (and think the others did too) found peace in relationship and deeper understanding and appreciation for each others beliefs. I've come to believe that it's Jesus who leads each of us (whether we know His name or not)...and He can lead us through many roads even as you've experienced.
So its encouraging to hear more of your story and how you've grace to love others and invite them into your experience of relationship with God.
Thanks again!