Post 6 - Is it Deconstruction? Or Rebellion?

 Post 6

Dying flowers. 
Must death of dreams be part of our life path?

As I've mentioned, I'm not drifting away from my beliefs. However, the book I've been reading—one chapter at a time—has been increasingly unsettling. Many of the stories in it highlight individuals who have distanced themselves from their faith. In that sense, I worry they might serve as a negative influence, perhaps even coming across as rebellious.

My own son-in-law is not a believer in Christ. He chose an officiant for their wedding that is with the Metaphysical Ministry. He didn't want Christian values shared at the wedding so as to not "offend" one of their guests. Instead, he chose to slap his bride's parents across the face. At least, that's how it felt to me. It was gut-wrenchingly disappointing after raising our daughter in the Christian faith. 

Being overrun by secular thinking is a huge problem in the world for the church these days. Do I think Christians need to compromise to hold their place in the world? No. 

Flowers bloom for a season. 
Hope has its season too.
And feelings are powerful.

THE WORLD'S A MESS

There’s a lot of concern about where the world and our own children seem to be headed at this moment in time. It can feel like the sins of the world are multiplying so rapidly that it’s hard to keep up. Our own beliefs are challenged and we can be criticized for expressing them. We are hard pressed on every side. 

In 2 Corinthians 4:8-12, the Apostle Paul described the hardships and sufferings he and his companions were enduring as they carried out their ministry of spreading the Gospel. 

These verses reflect the intense physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges they faced, but they also highlight God's sustaining power in the midst of these struggles.

Here’s a breakdown of what Paul had been dealing with:

1. Hard pressed on every side, but not crushed: Paul and his team faced constant pressure from external sources—opposition, criticism, persecution—but they were not overwhelmed or completely broken by it.

2. Perplexed, but not in despair: They were confused or uncertain at times, struggling to understand why certain things happened, but they didn’t lose hope or give up.

3. Persecuted, but not abandoned: Despite being persecuted for their faith, Paul emphasized that God never left them; they were never truly alone in their suffering.

4. Struck down, but not destroyed: While they may have been physically attacked or brought low, their spirit and mission were not destroyed. They persevered through God's strength.
   
   I relate to this so well. Do you?
   
   

  Isaiah 40:7,8 (ESV) "The grass withers, the flower fades

when the breath of the Lord blows on it;

surely the people are grass.

 ^jThe grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever."

Staying Strong 

Faithful Christians will say the world needs the church more than ever, but the church is irrelevant to many younger. The moral foundation we once relied on is being eroded faster than we ever expected. But I will take Paul's lessons to heart. When I see my son-in-law I show love. 

Yes, I had to see a mental health therapist to get me through my feelings. I had to let some things go. While my spirit was brought low, I have not been destroyed. I strive not to be defensive. I turn my children over to God's hands. It's his job now. 

I often express myself online in social media. I know a good troll when I see one. I have had to learn it's not worth my energy to engage. We are not dealing with human-to-human warfare, but spiritual warfare. 

But in the book I'm reading, one deconstructionist believes all that spiritual warfare stuff is nonsense. That is a sad deduction.