Faith Paths

What I want to say to everyone on this path…

So you’re having a faith crisis?  A church questioning?  That’s so awesome! This is going to be a great journey for you.  

I don’t care where your faith journey takes you.  This journey belongs to you and I completely trust that you and God know what you need.  What I need you to know is that you will always be loved by me.   You can be here even if you don’t believe.  You are always welcome in my life as a friend, a neighbor, a family member, a doubter or a seeker.

I’ve gone through the 4 stages of Faith that many of my spiritual mentors speak about.

I was born into Simplicity:  inheriting my faith and world view from my parents and people I grew up around; it all felt safe and easily divided into good and bad.  

I moved into Complexity: seeing that the world is not black and white and many people are raised different than me and have varying beliefs.  I could find truth in many different places outside of my own religion. 

Then into  Perplexity: where I had a lot of questions about LGBTQ and women issues, and so much struggle, and doubt  and I couldn’t find meaning in it;  where I looked to the world and distanced myself from my spiritual roots.

And back into Simplicity where I live by faith and a nuanced spirituality, realizing the world is not black and white but full of color and that I don’t need all the answers; where God’s in charge and I feel of His love.  And when I do the simple things of attending church, prayer, and extending grace to others…I like who I am and I remember whose I am.   

The famous Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes put it nicely: “I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity; but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity.”

What I know is faith’s opposite is not doubt, it’s certainty.  I'm certain of this, but I don't need to be certain about spiritual things... that's where faith comes into play. 

I think there's way too much anxiety about whether people "leave" or "stay" in our religion. (or any religion)   I say it's time to lower anxiety levels.  Let people grow. Let them develop.   Let them choose.  Let them vent.  Let them grieve. Let them announce. Let them move through their own stages of faith.  I'm going to lean in and listen with compassion and curiosity.  

There are beautiful things about my church's culture, and there are "interesting" things that I would love to see gone.  There are good doctrines.  There are doctrines that no longer work for me, and I hope and pray for new revelations that will steer this gigantic -16,000,000 person strong- ship in ways that work for ALL our families.  I trust in the 9th Article of faith -- we believe  He (God) will YET reveal many great and important truths pertaining to the kingdom of God.  

Anxiety about other people's religious choices often stems from our own need for validation for our own choices. I've made my choice to be ALL IN the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and I find joy in that and I believe that God's in charge.  Asking “If the church is true?” is not as helpful for me as “Is Jesus found here? “

I love this Pres. Nelson quote:  “If friends and family should step away from the church, continue to love them,” he counseled. “... Let your skeptical friends see how much you love the Lord and his gospel. Surprise their doubting hearts with your believing heart.”

To me, at the end of the day, it is all about relationships with my people and what we do as a human family to keep those relationships strong.  And my relationship with God.  

Maybe "enduring to the end" actually means "loving to the end."

I don’t believe my Heavenly Parents will ever ask me if I kept the people that I love on my exact. same. path.  

I think the only question I will be asked concerning others is, “Did you love them and honor their agency to choose.”

The 11th article of faith states: We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. I’ve often read this thinking only of people outside my faith tradition…but now I’m using it more for myself, with in my own household and church congregation.  

It all comes back to GRACE.  ( my word of the year)  Grace for me, grace for my family and strangers and all who walk this earth.  I try to be Christ like and I pray that everyone will come unto Christ, but I'm not in charge of that.  He is.