Solution or Resolution?

One would think that to dwell in Christ’s presence would be all that we would need; that trusting in Him would give us the confidence to meet the challenges of the day. Haven’t we all told ourselves that if we literally walked with Jesus, as his disciples did, we would be even more confident and reassured—nothing in life could cause doubt or distress. And yet…

            …with Jesus sleeping peacefully on the boat, how did the disciples react when waves came crashing in? They were afraid. They wanted a solution. They wanted Jesus to DO something to end their fears. Clearly, his presence was inadequate for what the disciples believed they needed, but only because their beliefs were based on fear.

            “Somebody needs to do something!” is our normal, human response to crisis or conflict. A solution—quick and effective—is what we require, mostly so that we can get on with our lives. But what we discover, if we are paying attention, is that most crises and conflicts are not ever really solved, they are resolved. In other words, they must be allowed to “play out”, to continue, to reach the end that God intends. To bring our selfish needs and desires to the table can become a hindrance rather than a help. Of course, this does not mean that we do not invest ourselves in attempting to end conflicts, especially when there is discord between people. No, we do not remove ourselves from conflict; rather, we humble ourselves, seeking Christ’s presence in the midst of the storm. But, unlike those frightened disciples, we look (and act) with confidence, knowing that our investment of love, faith, and trust will help us discover how God’s will is unfolding, even when things aren't necessarily going our way.

            How many times a week do we pray “Thy will be done?” but assume that God’s will is really our own all along? After all, our rational mind’s ability to connect the dots, figure out how to use the TV remote, and navigate city streets without mishap seem like sure indicators that successfully completing a task must by definition carry with it God's approval. But while our mind is indeed a gift from God, it can become a stumbling block when we attempt to use it to confront the walls that divide humanity one from another. The rational solution too often boils down to what we think is best, and “best” usually means what is most efficient--what requires the least effort with the greatest return. 

            When we seek God’s presence in the midst of troubles, we find that His will rarely follows the path we would have chosen. The path is rocky, shrouded in fog, and seems to go on forever. This is because God’s grace gives dignity to the distress of the troubled souls that confronts us at the same time that it gives dignity to our feeble attempts to assuage that distress. A simple solution, that is, the solution we would have preferred, is not an option. Anyone who has ever held a screaming infant in the wee hours of the morning has been an unwilling participant to this frustrating reality. We try everything—changing the diaper, warming the bottle, rocking and singing—and nothing works. Or so we think. But if we step back we'll notice that what is “working” all the time that we are panicked is simply our presence, our touch, and our words of comfort, no matter how feeble and ineffective they seem. Our presence allows Christ to be present in us, and we say to the wailing child, “Peace! Be still!” even though the howling continues, even though our rational mind is thinking of pillows and soft sheets.

Our panic in a situation like this is normal; it is a part of what makes us human. Ironically, panic can be gift, just like faith. It reminds us all to clearly that we are not in control; that it is God who uses us, not the other way around. Too often, in our frailty, foolishness and panicked state, we break the emergency glass, grab God out of the box, then race to the chaos, where we discover God has already been. We do not take God into battle; He waits for us there. And although we fail the test before we even start, God’s grace always rescues us. This usually occurs when we look back and say, “Now, how did that happen?” We charged in, ready to be a problem solver, but what we found is that we brought our own problems--our own vanities, our own weaknesses, our own doubts--to the table. Grace took all the brokenness that everyone offered up and, somehow, all was mended.

“How did THAT happen?”

What happened was the revealing of God’s will, which is the resolution of all human action and interaction. Just as TV sit-coms always have happy endings; our faith assures us that our “ending” is equally as glorious, but it plays out over the course of an entire life, not just one day, or a thirty minute episode. When we ponder how God is at work through us, we are amazed, reassured, and humbled all at the same time. We realize (again) that there really is only one set of footprints in the sand. And those prints go deep because they are not simply burdened by our physical body, but by all the baggage we carry each day: doubt, fear, and pride.

Solutions puff us up, because we only see ourselves at work—efficient, talented, and effective. Resolution humbles us, because we see God at work, and we recognize that we are just as troubled and conflicted as those whom we reach out to help. We realize (again) that God’s will is always done; and what seems like foolishness at the start, becomes a glorious revelation once it is resolved. You would think that all these glimpses of grace imprinted on our hearts would give us the confidence and courage to handle our daily challenges without fail. But all it takes is for that first wave to come over the side and soak our brand new shoes…right?