ATTITUDE
God's Grammar for the New Year
12.31.06
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Article:
Somebody—probably a preacher—has said, "Don't put a period where God only puts a comma."
Good spiritual syntax. When negativity insinuates itself into the narrative of our lives, we tend to end the story too soon. Writer's block sets in. Creativity runs out. The river dries up. We instinctively figure that what's in front of us is a dead end and we can go no further.
There is a quality about failure, heartbreak, and betrayal that fuels a myth of finality: we are hoodwinked into thinking that losing something means losing everything.
If you are like everybody else who shares space with you on the planet, bad things happen to you. I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I know this with absolute certainty. At one time or another you will break up, break down, lose out, go broke, give in, get sick, be sad. Life happens. Don't buy a used car—or a slick sermon—from anyone who tells you otherwise.
Your business venture is violated by close contractual partners, significant investments of money and energy are squandered, and you determine never to risk in this way again. Your marriage hits a rut of familiarity and routine, and you think the thrill of love is long gone. You find yourself in a one-sided relationship where you give good things disproportionately more than you get them, and you wonder if the whole thing is worth the effort. Somebody dear to you dies or leaves, and you vow never to let yourself get so close again. Your church disappoints—or worse, demeans—and you want to wash your hands of such a fickle, feckless bunch.
Funny thing about humans: they are never as good as we want them to be. The temptation is to cut our losses, take our meager winnings, and never place bets on human beings again. In short, the temptation is to put a period where a comma used to be.
Don't make that grammatical error this year.
Feed your faith imagination. Discipline yourself to believe that every ending entails a new beginning. Train your eye to see potential success winking over the shoulder of every failure. Believe that the possibilities of grace have a way of outwitting the established patterns of our past. Dare to deliver an alternative speech of hope to yourself. Say words that inspire and stir, that subvert all stored up messages of grief. You thought these messages were indelible, but they're not. Pray this: Lord, let me live with faith in the good that may happen tomorrow rather than regret for the bad that happened yesterday.
Pray that prayer to the one whose creative spirit hovers over all the failure and brokenness of our lives, whose divine eye is peeled to spot all our dead ends and connect them up with everybody else's. Look closer after praying these prayers. You will see that the road hasn't run out; it goes on after all.
The script of your life is still being written, and the pen is in your hand. You've incurred losses like everyone else, but all is not lost. Losing something does not mean losing everything.
So delete that period. Put a comma in its place. How you finish the sentence is up to you and God.
Read more of Charles Johnson at his blog, Connectivity.
READER'S COMMENTS
Charles, Thank you for this inspiring reminder of how we are to live. May our Lord continue to bless you and your family in your new role. Your friend, Bob
Bob Martindale 1/1/2007 5:51:29 PM
Charlie - what beautiful words and how inspiring and meaningful they are. They truly spoke to my heart which I desperately needed to hear right now. Thank you. God bless you in this new year!
Lynda Swoveland 1/1/2007 7:35:06 PM
Charlie: this is a divine message for me in this season of my life.I needed the encouragement and a reminder.It's exactly the kind of message you used to deliver from the pulpit at Trinity.Thank you and continue to write!!
Belinda Hernandez 1/1/2007 9:15:37 PM
Charlie, I needed THIS particular message today....and your life backs up the message. Thank you for these wise and tender words of hope. Grace to you in this new year -- Jeanie Miley
Jeanie 1/1/2007 11:28:56 PM
Charlie, This is a beautifully phrased lesson that all of us need to bear in mind for the new year. Thank you for its beauty and common sense. Doug Harlan
Doug 1/2/2007 1:03:19 AM
Practical way to think about hope versus finality. God is in our everyday steps from punctuation to perseverance. Thank you!
Julie 1/2/2007 10:05:12 AM
Charlie--Indeed, life does bring change. But, thanks be to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Who does not change, and for His unchanging Word, which remains the same--yesterday, today and forever. Therefore, we can live with His hope and promise of a better tomorrow in a world of constant change. Happy New Year--Tom Geib
Tom Geib 1/2/2007 1:40:14 PM
Charlie, this message was just what I needed today. Very much like when you are in church and feel that the preacher is speaking just to you, only to find that your neighbor heard something entirely different. We continue to pray for you and Jana each day and thank God for our friendship. Mamie
Mamie 1/2/2007 10:46:56 PM
Charlie, your beautiful words of wisdom come to me now through my eyes but I hear your voice in every one of them. God continues to provide you with the words and the technology which expands your ability to further spread his message of love and mercy. Bob
Bob Coldwater 1/3/2007 4:47:33 PM
My dear friend, you asked for a "brief" response. You know me better than that. Your article was most appropriate, both convicting and delighting. Further comment will come in a longer version by email. Caroline
Caroline 1/4/2007 10:53:41 AM
Charlie, I sure hope those commas hold tight. It is a great message! I didn't realize that I do use commas in my life. But I sure did need one recently. Thank you for that. Thank you for your blessings dear sir. I believe in this life you need to breathe, life is too short. Thanks again for your wisdom.
anonymous 1/22/2007 1:18:26 AM
I am going through so much right now, these were the words I needed to hear! Thank you for giving me hope!
I loved reading these articles on changing attitudes and feelings of hopelessness. I would like to receive more of the articles--they're very powerful and inspiring. I'm having a difficult time with depression, wondering what to do now that I'm 67 and struggling with financial difficulties, lack of freedom due to illness and injuries. I'm a single working woman. Putting all of this in perspective would help a great deal, I'm sure!
Hi Charlie, See I may not have the right words to thank you for this timely message so all I have to say is I BLESS YOU IN JESUS NAME. Be used of Him even more.
Thanks for reminding me that no matter how many mistakes or losses or turns in the road..... one end always means one new beginning!
Thanks, Charlie! I should be getting an award today but some anomaly happened. This article is God-sent.
Charlie, I just forwarded this to a few friends that I know needed to hear this. I will remember your susgested prayer everyday: "Lord let me live with the faith in the good that may happen tomorrow rather than the bad that happened yeasterday."
Geraldine