Tiny Little gods

The little gods of this world make demands.  They tell us what we should be doing, how we should be behaving, who we should vote for, and why we should believe what we believe.  These little gods bark commands with a puffed up chests and give orders that relish in compliance.

Politics, religion, family dynamics, and our inner thoughts all give a platform to these little gods.  We are attracted to little gods because they claim to have each answer carefully packaged…no need to wrestle, chew, and digest.  They are remarkable little creatures and so getting lured in by tiny gods is easy.

They speak with a cadence of confidence and mask their delusions with authority. 

When we bend our ear to the little gods we give them power to speak into our life and alter who we really are.  They feed on our insecurities, grow in our conformity and devour our identity.

But the secret?  These tiny gods are afraid.

Afraid that you will see them for what they are…trivial, small, insignificant.  Afraid you will awaken from their spell and no longer pay attention to them.  Afraid the home they constructed, fit only for a straw man, will blow away.

Be skeptical of the pat answers that leave no lasting satisfaction.  Be cautious when your allegiance is expected, and be leery of the little gods that make demands…

That you might be open to the one God that gives invitations.

While In Pain

Throughout life's journey we experience pain and affliction on many levels. Some are deep relationship hurts due to our actions, others are feelings of worthlessness brought upon us with the loss of work and a meaningful purpose in life.

Pain meets us deep in our psyche through the dark hallways of depression and rests heavy on us when our bodies are broken down by sickness. As human beings we are no strangers to pain and the uncertainty and weariness that it causes.

Affliction and pain not only tear away at our body and mind, but it draws us outside of community until we find ourselves suffering alone. This space of isolation becomes the moment where death seems close at hand...we feel cut off from loved ones and forsaken by our Creator.

In this state the true nature of our self is tested, along with how we view God (who we believe God to be). If, in our darkest hour in which hope is dead, we believe God to be tired of us and ambivalent to our plight then hope is certainly dead.

Yet if the Scriptures are true, and Jesus' description of God's character accurate, then maybe we can begin view God as a caring father who is good to his children. With that understanding of God's nature, regardless of how dark and painful life may be, hope has the opportunity to be resurrected.

Who in your life needs to be reminded that God is loving and good? How can you reflect God's loving and caring nature to them in the midst of pain and darkness?