06-03-23

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 3, 2023
What causes you discomfort? What is your initial reaction when you feel some discomfort? What happens next? Answering these questions is rather important, yet it requires some real intentionality. Why is it important? A lot of folks get stuck in discomfort without any real understanding of why. The first reaction, or the go-to response, should be a signal to the person who has done some awareness work. It’s good to know your first reaction, as there is a good chance, with practice, that you’ll see it coming and might choose to pause. This is important if your first reaction to a feeling of discomfort is to distance yourself from the source of your discomfort, to mock or demonize the source of your discomfort, or to find some other rationale for why you never have to face the source of your discomfort. In Paul’s Second Letter to the Church in Corinth, he writes, "Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Don’t you understand that Jesus Christ is in you?" If we have done the intentional work on what causes us discomfort and become aware of how we tend to react, there is a good chance that we could begin to better control what happens next. Maybe you explore the cause of the discomfort and move past the initial reactionary emotion to find yourself talking about a painful experience in your past or a deep sense of insecurity from which the initial discomfort emerged. Dealing with the root of our reaction can help us potentially move past the discomfort. I am fascinated by podcasts and interviews with people who were once neo-Nazis, only to discover their discomfort around people of other religions, ethnicities, or races was, in fact, their own insecurities around themselves.

By your grace, O Source of Life and Hope, I believe I can become a healthier person simply by becoming more aware of who I am and what forms my decisions and reactions in my daily existence. It is only by your grace, so thank you! Amen.