Disillusioned, Lapsed, but still-seeking
Living a life that is not just the 9-5 but one having some regular quality time for us and ours is difficult. We might get to the gym and spend time with family but often there is no time for our inner life. Whether we are spiritual or religious or neither we know that some part of us is "seeking" something greater than just the stuff of the outer world - what we buy and get and achieve. Our inner life, which needs no material wealth but simply making time for thought or reflection; meditation or prayer, still eludes us. With many of us no longer "practising" Christians, that time on Sundays is not available either. Yet we know that some unfathomable part of us which keeps engaging with us: is seeking something greater; still retains our conviction that Christ is something special; and His example, and His teachings to all Mankind - of all faiths and colours - about how we can get along with each other; and how we can be kind, are still valid today 2000 years later. Perhaps even more so in the Digital Age.
But the problems of our times impact our "getting along" and "being kind to one another ". And none of it is helped by the un-giving and selfishness - in actions, lies, cover-ups and scandals - of our political and religious leaders who should be the best of us, the best examples. Once you add the church and government's failure simply to serve: all hope becomes lost that we can, should, ought to be kind to others when few in office serve us and not themselves first. As churches empty, practising becomes a personal matter. Nature, reading, reflection, meditation...can all help the self. But Christ teachings on keeping a good heart towards our fellow man is the fundamental key for our self; and life with others.
On top of time problems and our increasingly hateful, extreme, and irrational world, sometimes life itself has hurt us in some particular way. And and in our pain we found no help in priest, prayer, or practise. Feeling let down and foolish that our trust that Christ would be there for us, or that Christianity would be of some little help or answer. Perhaps at that time on the way out, the door was closed tight on Christianity, and we shut off, believing we were utterly let down by Him, and wrong to trust any of it in the first place.
We've been there; done it; and got the tee-shirt from a number of other religions to prove it! But they no longer fit now. If they ever truly did. We keep what is good - like meditation or calming body and mind practises. But perhaps deep down we never could truly reject the beautiful logic in Christ's Teachings that are all centred on one thing: "Love one another".
We do understand where lapsed Christians are coming from. And perhaps we might be able to help by saying this to start with: many of us have been in this place and some have been lucky enough to come back from it: a little mended and a little "stronger in the broken places" (Hemingway) and perhaps a little wiser in hindsight and from the other side.
For then it seemed your knock was not heard; now perhaps a door opens and is ajar. Then you asked and asked; now perhaps is the time in hindsight to see that a glimmer of the answer was in front of your eyes. Then it seemed you sought; now you seem to be finding a way forward.
A Fisher of The Spirit
If you find yourself in a new place of opening the door; feeling drawn and seeking; and journeying towards His simple teachings - not necessarily church - then how can this be anything but a good thing? A start. Many things can help move us forward. We suggest keep reading. Scripture, commentaries on scripture on Christ, on Paul... and read our blogs too for what little they might contain to help you.
Ourselves, first we simply found after our years of drift, the essence of Christ's teachings never left us. Second, in our drift to see other religions and their places, a seed of aspiration planted itself in us: to one day see, and be in the places of Christ and The Spirit. That aspiration kind of grew whenever we saw an ancient site or something in film or TV that had a connection to Christ. This apparent connectedness - our relation with The Word - felt right, and the aspiration grew: "...one day, some way, somehow I am going to find a way to do it 🙂
Third, we found ourselves reading, researching and then going to Thessaloniki.
Aspiration had turned into intention, to will, to "being there" in the footsteps of Apostle Paul; and that turned into inspiration to bring other Christians to Thessaloniki, and Philipi, and Athens... to where The Spirit led Christianity.
And here you are 🙂 Here. Now. Reading this blog and debating in your mind the merits of whether it is possible that The Word travels into our hearts by our being in the places of The Holy Spirit.
"Cast your net to the right side..." Christ said to His Apostles. Cast on the wrong side we can find ourselves in the wrong crowd, the wrong job, the wrong lifestyle... Cast your own net to catch the things you value...
Cast your Net
Our personal experience shows that physically "being" - in the place, in the moment, in attentive awareness - actually present in the places of Christ and The Holy Spirit is a powerful simple step.
No ritual, no dogma, no catechisms, and no judgements - none of which He taught; all of which He railed against. Just you. You present in the places where The Spirit was once present. Present and aware of the place, its ground, its walls and atmosphere all around. Aware that The Word travels into the heart and the life of those who seek, knock, ask it to.
We cannot say who will have an answer. Only you can know when you feel your answer is beginning; taking shape; in-dwelling.
All we can do is to help you keep your spirits up and not lose hope. To start with, take a look at our blog pages to give you some thought and reflection.
Christ did not live as kings; He started out in a manger. He did not dwell in a palace; but lived among the people. He did not help only "the holy"; He helped the lapsed, the disillusioned and those seeking spiritual connection.
