THOUGHTS FROM C.S LEWIS

I have a few devotion books I try to read each day. Sometimes a few days creeps by between picking them up. Among these is a "A Year with C.S. Lewis".

As I read this evening, I began to think about the world we live in.

It would be easy to paint a picture of the world as being hopelessly evil.

With the advancement of technology we have an ever increasing knowledge of what is happening in any corner of the globe almost instantly. We know more of the evil that happens now more than ever before.

Let's not even mention the way the media sensationalizes every story to fit their agenda.

Having said that, here is my reading from today in my Lewis' devotional. This reading was accompanied my the heading/title The Real Test:

“Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one's first feeling, 'Thank God, even they aren't quite so bad as that,' or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally we shall insist on seeing everything -- God and our friends and ourselves included -- as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred.”


― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

May we aim to see God moving in the midst of the most evil circumstance. Let us be quick to be relieved instead of wishing "that black was a little blacker".

In a world of much bad, there is much good to be found. Look for it. As you do, you will likely see God doing what He does best. Working out "all things" for good. Turning messes into miracles.

Silver Linings pt 2

We all have a big grey cloud we COULD focus on.  You know, all the negative aspects of our situations & circumstances.  

I believe with all my heart that those who make the greatest difference in this life are those that focus not on the cloud, but the silver lining, the bright spots in those things we face.

There is ALWAYS a silver lining.

Sometimes the shiny stuff is obvious.  We just have to choose to focus on the positive over the negative.  

Often, life can seem so overwhelming that it gets really difficult to find or focus on anything good.  We pray for God to give us a break (as we yell, or whine, or scream, or cry....).  It is not uncommon for a friend or someone outside our mess to be the one to bring something positive to our attention.

The band Kutless tells us in their song "What Faith Can Do" that we have "gotta face the clouds, to find the silver lining.". 

We must face our clouds.  Even our darkest ones.  In doing so, we can see how strong we are.  We can be shaped by the trial.  

We can choose to let our cloud make us better.  We can choose to search out that silver lining & be positive in the midst of negative chaos.  

As we do this & journey through life, others will look at us astonished.  

They might even question how we do it.

Silver Linings part 1

 

"Every cloud has a silver lining".  Generally this phrase is tossed around as someone is facing a difficult circumstance or trying season in life.

The truth contained in this little phrase is transforming if we choose to look for those "silver linings".  

As I served in Iraq I dealt with a man in a leadership position over me.  He did not like me.  I ended up losing rank.  

One night at dinner one of my soldiers was giving me a hard time about it.  I looked up & said, "it's ok.  I still have a hot wife & a cute kid & they don't care what rank is on my chest".  

As I continued eating this soldier responded, "D*** it Clark!  How do you ALWAYS do that?!".  "What?", I asked.  He said, "No matter what happens you always find a silver lining!".  

As I reflected on that chow time conversation I thought of something profound.

Everyone has a big, grey cloud they COULD focus.  

The folks that make the greatest difference & have the biggest impact in THIS life are those who choose to focus on the silver lining.

Look for part 2 sometime this week.  Love y'all.