Reaching for Hope

Depression is largely the experience of losing hope. It doesn’t mean we don’t think hope is real or that hope isn’t worth having. But it’s like I set it down and then accidentally bumped it off. It fell on the ground and rolled out of sight, and I don’t know where to look for it. Sometimes, I have the time to search methodically. Other times I need it urgently and not having it is painful.

Meaningless: Reflections for Lent, Week 6

We are nearing the end of Lent, and completing our reflections on Ecclesiastes. It has been an illuminating exercise for me. Understanding has found me in a way it never has before with this text. It is both encouraging and nerve-wracking, showing me how much transformation I have yet to experience.

Meaningless: Reflections for Lent, Week 3

The writer of Ecclesiastes continues to challenge American common sense. The text continues to point toward the worthlessness of pursuing wealth and power. This third week of Lent, as we contemplate the Christ who gave up divinity, who let go of boundless power and ageless life, in order to experience something better, it’s hard not to see the parallels.

The Secret of Wisdom

What is wisdom? There are many answers to that question. I’ve heard it described as knowledge applied to life. I’ve heard it worshiped—under the name Sophia—as a sort of new-age or neo-pagan spirituality. I’ve read it was involved in the creation of the world.

That last one is provocative, and I think Christians tend to gloss over it, ignoring its significance. It’s found in the most known collection of wisdom writing in the Western world—the biblical book simply known as “Proverbs.”

With Thanksgiving

This week, each year, my family joins with millions of other Americans to celebrate certain values, to be mindful of the good things in our lives, and to feast. We rejoice in unity and gratefulness. As I approach my practice of meditation this week, I feel drawn to the biblical book Philippians. There are several […]