A blessing for your evolving faith
God’s love has never been dependent on your right opinions, you can take a deep breath now.
Hi friends,
The evolving faith experience can be profoundly isolating and lonely, leaving us separate from faith communities, friendships and even families that once felt like home and so we lose the places where we used to be able to turn for support and community, shared stories and laughter. As we’ve been busy preparing and praying in advance of Evolving Faith, my heart has been holding a lot of these stories, stories which can have moments of goodness but also tell of broken relationships, fear, uncertainty, anger, loss, doubt, exclusion. Of course, there are a lot of reasons why people find themselves at our campfire in the wilderness, but as we prepare to gather, I’m always aware of how complicated some of those stories can be, even as I anticipate a weekend of joy and exhale together, you know? All of which is to say that this week, I thought I’d share a little blessing for your own evolving faith experience.
I know many of us have wobbly feelings about prayer these days, but sometimes that’s the exact right time to simply rest in the prayers of others. It’s my hope that this little blessing can bring you a sense of the broader Church you’re still part of as you wrestle and wander, reclaim and reimagine a faith that works for you and for this whole world, too. If no one has prayed for you as you embark into and navigate through your own wilderness season, then hopefully at the very least, this reminds you that you’re loved and someone is praying for you still.
Let’s go:
Friend, today we bless your questions, your doubts, your wonderings, your discomfort: all unexpected invitations from the Holy Spirit to a new altar in the fresh air of God’s goodness. We bless your “I just don’t know anymore,” because now there is room for the Spirit to surprise you.
May you find courage in the midst of uncertainty and embrace the questions that lead you deeper into Love. God’s love has never been dependent on your right opinions, you can take a deep breath now.
Faith was never meant to be a stagnant pool of complacency anyway, but a deep and ever-flowing river of divine love. Let the currents deepen your trust in the One who knows the way.
May you never lose sight of the radical love at the heart of you, a love that calls us to care for the least of these, to speak truth to power, and to embody justice and mercy in the world.
May your questions be like stars in the night sky, guiding you onward into the vast expanse of the divine. Embrace the questions, for they are signposts on the road to deeper understanding and intimacy with the Divine.
May your evolving faith be a beacon of hope and healing in the midst of our world’s dark night of the soul. May your courage to be honest and resolutely human inspire others to embark on their own sacred journeys of exploration and discovery.
May you be open to the diversity of beliefs and experiences that enrich the tapestry of faith. May you find good teachers and new companions and even a few old friends on this path through the wilderness.
May your faith be a wellspring of compassion, justice, and love, flowing out to those in need and nourishing parched souls - including your own. May you experience unexpected healing even as you learn to map the stars into your scars.
May you never lose your grip on the transformative power of grace. And may you extend that grace freely to yourself and to all who cross your path. We bless your scrappy bit of stubborn hope, insisting on Love and demanding your honesty.
May your evolving faith be a testament to the infinite and boundless nature of God, and leading you ever closer to the heart of Love itself.
May you find peace in humble mystery. Let the grace of the one who dances through the cosmos and whispers in the stillness of our hearts be with you as your faith evolves and transforms.
And may you begin to truly know, down to your bones, that you are loved, loved, loved right now - both as you are and as all that you will become.
Amen.
I’m in your corner,
S.
Join us for the Evolving Faith Conference is on October 13-14 in Minneapolis, MN and also online - you are so welcome! This weekend - this community! - is not about providing answers; it's about igniting questions, fostering growth, and embracing the beauty of the evolving journey - together. Whether you're seeking to rekindle your faith, make sense of doubt, or simply connect with others who understand your path right now, this is the place to be.
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This reads like a benediction. Thank you. And as they say in my tradition, “And also with you.”
I was doing ok until I got to the end...
"Let the grace of the one who dances through the cosmos and whispers in the stillness of our hearts be with you as your faith evolves and transforms. And may you begin to truly know, down to your bones, that you are loved, loved, loved right now - both as you are and as all that you will become."
... and then I just started sobbing. It's really quite beautiful and so needed.
Thank you for a really sweet reminder.