Responding to the Deaths that Surround Us

As a spiritual director, I am privileged to see the Lord bringing new life in people, seeing them find life in the midst of death. Having this perspective into life in Christ also gives me some perspective on the death I see all around me.

In a provocative post, Chuck DeGroat says that some of this death is necessary, and therapists and spiritual directors should not intervene, but instead, let it take its course. This led me to reflect that there are many kinds of death and that they are quite different.

I see people dying in a multitude of ways, some helpful and some quite destructive.  I see people being chewed up by the principalities and powers, sinful and broken structures. Some die as they shed their faith and move away from Jesus. I see people realizing that their faith had them living in death and they have to die to that death and find new life in Jesus, one that is more connected into the heart of God.

On a corporate level here in the US, the church is dying in many ways and some of those dyings are needed and we should not resist.  Other dyings are more like Psalm 11:3, where destroyed foundations damage God's people in harmful ways that will have long term consequences.

Regardless of the type of dying we face, our call is to turn to the living Lord in the midst of the death.  We come to the Lord in our weakness and death, asking to join him in his death, that he might raise us, give us hope and new life.

If you are facing into some type of death, consider spiritual direction as a way to seek the Lord and find new life.