Posted in Different Moments, Different Scriptures

taking a walk…

Posted on by Wick

Last week I was able to spend a good portion of a work day in quiet prayer and contemplation. I spoke with God, and He shared from His heart for me. It was a refreshing time in His creation, and my thoughts were slowed/simplified in His presence.

I remember learning about the “sacred pathways” highlighted by Gary Thomas many years ago. (Pause to take the survey now if you’ve never done so – it’s worth it!) It was a freeing experience to recognize that not every person or even season of an individuals’ life invites them to connect with God in the exact same way. It’s true that “Prayer” is something that should be continually present in everyone’s life, but prayer itself may look completely different depending on the family, cultural elements, and personal abilities/interests of an individual. I’ve worked with pastors who could enter a small office for a time of prayer, and emerge 5 hours later feeling refreshed. While I might be able to stretch myself in that direction, I’m much more naturally inclined to spend that time slowly walking with God on a quiet wooded path, offering those hours to both speaking and listening to His heart.

I also understand that a religion based solely on personal preferences invites us to shape God in our image, which is something we should be careful to avoid. It’s important to submit our personal preferences regularly in spiritual practices, in order to learn and grow from spiritual formation in contexts of diverse community but also in order to test and remain curious about the infinite ways God desires to meet with us in our finite experiences. I recognize among my readers, I may have those who need to hear both sides of the coin.

Take a moment to examine: Where in your past week have you experienced a spiritual practice that felt safe, but unnatural? Maybe it was more formal, where you prefer informal. Perhaps it was with others, when you might prefer solitude. In the other direction, where in the past week have you pursued a time with or responding to God that felt easily connected to your heart? Can you name at least one in both categories? Is it difficult to even recall moments you purposefully sought significant time in connection with God? Take a moment right now – allowing God to speak to your heart, and inviting you to consider how you might make a deliberate choice with your schedule or resources this next week.

In Matthew 7, Jesus shares words that have become famous, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” These words can often be misunderstood as asking for anything, leading us to disappointment, disillusionment, or questioning if our faith is “strong enough” if we don’t see God immediately responding. But the context of Matthew 7 is within the “Sermon on the Mount” where Jesus is describing the ways of His Kingdom which is now arriving. He had already told them to store up “treasures” in the things/ways of God, instead of treasuring things that are temporary and unsatisfying – for where our treasure is, our heart is also.

With this understanding, what are the greatest things we could ever desire/seek? Answer: The eternal things of God and His presence.

Knowing this, Jesus shares the good news: whoever asks for these things – receives them. Whoever seeks His ways, finds them. Whoever knocks on His door, wondering if He has time/love for them – discovers the door of abiding in His presence is always opened to them. We know this, but so often we fill our silent moments with noise and distraction. We fill our slow pace with hurry to accomplish what feels important.

Kinda makes you want to take a walk with God, eh? He’s ready when we are…

Posted in Different Books

are you blocking experiences?

Posted on by Wick

Everyone seems to be talking about this – yet I recognize some of my readers (hi mom) may not read the same sources I do. For this reason, I wanted to share something important that’s being recognized (or affirmed) in recent publications. Jonathan Haidt, who is not a believer but considers himself “religion friendly”, is a social psychologist with a lot of research to back up what he’s saying. What is his newest book confirming that most of us have already been aware of? “..the smartphone-driven “great rewiring of childhood” is causing an “epidemic of mental illness.”

It’s been on my mind a lot lately, especially as different stories have hit major news outlets. Schools in Canada are banding together for lawsuits against social media companies. What’s their accusation? “They were reckless and malicious, manipulating the brain neurochemistry of young students, getting them hooked on social media platforms, and, in doing so, causing widespread damage and disruption to the education system.“

Within a week of reading that story, I also read about schools in the US increasingly looking to hire “Chaplains”, in response to the current mental health crisis. I think it’s great that schools understand learning requires a safe environment, but also a “felt” safe environment, which means helping students cope with unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression.

But with schools in Canada, and hiring chaplains in the US, and a myriad of other responses to what is happening, it seems like we’re missing a major point. I think we’re missing it on purpose usually, because it’s a lot easier than owning our role. We’re pointing fingers at others, or employing others and tasking them with bringing healing, while abdicating our role in any of this. The truth is – each of us has agency in responding to the problem. And it is a problem. Despite what those who profit from these devices and services may say in defense. I’m generally the opposite of an alarmist (ask my wife), and I’m immediately skeptical of anything someone says to try and illicit an urgent response. So I’ll wait a moment while you Google as needed to find the stats and confirm what I’m saying here. The kids are not okay.

But there is hope.

Remember what it was like growing up in a world where loving adults were placed in positions of authority and care over children?

Whether or not that was your reality, that does seem to be the intent. Whether you’re a believer who credits this within the grand design of God, or whether you’re a non-believer who credits this within the survival of the fittest – there’s a truth to it. Those who have survived longer are placed in positions of guidance and authority over those still developing a pre-frontal cortex.

Every time we’ve experienced this sort of “learning” in modern times, we’ve instituted controls to protect those who are most vulnerable because of their age. We’ve set minimum ages for drinking or smoking, because these substances are harmful and addictive. It wasn’t immediate, and there were difficult moments in instituting these controls, but they were worth the struggle. Our children, and the future generations of healthy adults who will help lead this world into a future of flourishing – are worth it.

So what are the 4 primary recommendations being given by Haidt, as one small but tangible way to make a major impact on the mental health of our youth (and subsequently help foster a tomorrow where adults are mentally/emotionally well-prepared)? Here they are:

  1. No smartphones before High School age. (Parents/guardians – we can do this!)
  2. No social media before age 16 (and hold companies accountable for this, in the same way stores are accountable for checking ID’s before sales of alcohol/tobacco).
  3. No phones in schools. (Seriously, why is this one so hard to see?)
  4. Prioritizing real-world play and independence.

If we took this list seriously, it would make a major impact immediately. If homes and places of education adopted these as norms – students wouldn’t feel the pressure to “keep up/plugged in” simply because their friends were. Sure, most youth would go through a difficult withdrawal phase. We’d have to adapt to new routines, and trust that we could all survive. Everyone reach out to your favorite helicopter parent, and give them extra affirmation – making your kids “unreachable” during the school day is actually good parenting.

One thing Haidt says over and over again, is that these devices are “Experience Blockers”. His book even includes a chapter which seems significant for a nonbeliever to include. The importance of a shared religious experience, or spiritual community that we are committed to, can make such an important impact on fostering a strength that we and our children both need. Of course it should be obvious by this point – as adults, we should be leaving our phones behind (or at least turning them off, not just silencing them) whenever we enter church on Sunday mornings (and other times of devotion/reading/prayer throughout the week).

Yes, devices offer us significant experiences as well. But this doesn’t mean they’re 100% without potential for great damage. There are plenty more links and books I could suggest, but I think the best evidence would simply be to tell you – go unplug from devices for the next 60 minutes. See how you feel afterward. Don’t we think this is needed more, across the generations?