When The World Is Disheartening

Hey Friends,

I started to write this as one of my letters that I include in my email but it just kinda grew and became a post for this section of my blog.

If you are even remotely feeling the same thing I am feeling these days, you have noticed how terribly disheartening our world is. I’m not finding myself longing for the days of our founding fathers (although no matter how many times historians re-write history, I still hold to the truth of them being better men than what we turn out today), but I also find myself longing for the character of men just twenty years ago, ten years ago, heck, last year. I miss character, I miss kindness, I miss people knowing that how they acted when they were anonymous is their true selves, I miss honor, manners, integrity, commitment. I miss self sacrifice for the benefit of loved ones. I miss essential value of life. I miss respect. I miss intelligent discussion rather than offense at any opinion that differs from our own. I miss the kind of pride that caused a person to work as hard as he or she could as a matter of principle.

This is the time when members of “the greatest generation” are beginning to pass away. I read a comment the other day that said “My generation is leaving this world and I don’t see anyone stepping up to fill their shoes.” This is so very true, and speaking of shoes…

I miss boot straps. Those things that our country used to pull itself up by. Now it seems all of our boots are decorative and replaced because they go out of style rather than the soles being worn through.

I miss self discipline. Denying yourself things because you knew it would hurt someone dear, and refusing instant gratification for long term better good and more lasting rewards. I miss accountability. People who take responsibility for their own actions rather than placing blame wherever they can make it stick. Folks big enough to say “I messed up. I’m sorry. This is all on me.” People that are made big by their character rather than their forced and calculated outrageousness.

I promise, these things existed in greater number in previous days and still exist today. I just want to stress that in case you start thinking you imagined it or “idealized” it into existence though the lens of nostalgia.

Today I’m listening to Rich Mullins, his album entitled “Songs”, which came out in 1995. It has some of my favorites on it. Awesome God, Sometimes By Step, Creed, If I Stand…

They’re all hitting home for me today. Because I am disheartened with the world and in being so I know that something is right within my soul, and that is not my own self righteousness, but His spirit living within me. Because when I look at this world and I feel the disappointment, pain, injustice of it all, I turn immediately to Him and I know there is a better way. And I see how it can be, should be, and who I am called to be. And when I look around at the world around me and feel like a stranger in a strange land – I know why.

Because this world is not my home and I was never called to settle in and be comfortable in it as if it was my final destination. I am just passing through. But while I am here, I’ve got a job to do, and that job involves being a vessel for His light to shine through. In that respect, I guess the darkness makes my job a little bit easier.

But no matter how dark it gets, when I look to the Son, I’m still blinded by the light of a glorious future.

If I Stand

~Rich Mullins

There’s more that rises in the morning
Than the sun
And more that shines in the night
Than just the moon
It’s more than just this fire here
That keeps me warm
In a shelter that is larger
Than this room

And there’s a loyalty that’s deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegiance
I owe only to the giver
Of all good things

So if I stand let me stand on the promise
That you will pull me through
And if I can’t, let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy
That has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home

There’s more that dances on the prairies
Than the wind
More that pulses in the ocean
Than the tide
There’s a love that is fiercer
Than the love between friends
More gentle than a mother’s
When her baby’s at her side

And there’s a loyalty that’s deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegence
I owe only to the Giver
Of all good things

So if I stand let me stand on the promise
That you will pull me through
And if I can’t, let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy
That has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home

And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home