Dorothy Strickland
Based on Psalms 42, 43, 137 &
144
She came home from middle school that day in a
mood. My wise, kind, confident, independent daughter didn’t want to talk about it. Her mood
lasted for several days.
Finally, after she had me (reluctantly) promise
not to do anything about it, she was ready to talk. Her “forever friend” had told lies about her; made fun
of her in public, apparently just for entertainment. She was angry, hurt,
embarrassed, humiliated. Immediately
the momma bear in me roared to life, wanting to shred my cub’s
tormentor!
After years of skipping over all the horrifying
Psalms about destroying enemies, I suddenly wanted to sing them all! Something
instinctive inside me connected with the Israelites’ rage and powerlessness
as the Babylonians trafficked their children into slavery. Finally, I
understood the desire for vindication, the urge to smash the heads of the
tormentors and their babies!
But, I had made a promise to my daughter. So I kept
my promise and let her handle it while I secretly gave her “ex-forever friend” the stink-eye every
chance I got.
A few months later I heard my daughter talking
about her “ex-forever
friend” in a way that sounded like they were friends again! I was shocked and
frightened for her! Why would she ever trust that friend again? How could she
forgive? My daughter had crossed a threshold into a place of forgiveness while
I was still sitting outside composing new Vindication Psalms. And when I tried
to follow my daughter over that forgiveness threshold, my nose got bent out of
joint when I slammed into a locked door.
How could I forgive? Did I even want to go
through that door? I had some soul-searching to do in order to find the keys I
needed before I could cross over into forgiveness.
Every day we are given opportunities for
spiritual growth. In her book Open the Door: A Journey to the True Self,
Joyce Rupp calls these opportunities “entrances to holiness.”
Rupp writes:
“Entrances to holiness are everywhere and all the time. Never doubt
that each particle of life, no matter how mundane, dramatic, painful,
pleasurable, or simple, has a door awaiting your opening. If we give due
attention and do not run from what repels or brings us pain, we unearth a wealth
of knowledge and inspiration. We find our way home.”
I love these words! They give me assurance that
every part of my life is a threshold to holiness, to communion with God. Christ
invites me into silence where He is my guide, my companion, my teacher.
I quiet my mind, breathing in God’s Spirit, slowly, deeply;
breathing out completely my thoughts, my control, my distractions. In God’s presence, I feel safe to
honestly explore what is frightening, confusing, painful.
I am at peace. I am understood. I am loved.
My heart sings a new Psalm of Hope and together
God and I are free to dance.
What entrances to holiness await
your opening?
Dorothy
Strickland is the Minister to Children and their Families.
http://fbcaustin.org/dorothy-strickland-minister-to-children-and-their-families
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