So much wisdom here and compassion. The part about growth and rest spoke. Sometimes grief and healing from trauma can be a low grade darkness like a plant taken down to its roots, the ground hard all around, waiting for spring sunshine and rains. Yes we have not been taught what it means to live the new creation.
Thank you so much for this lecture, Dr. Green. So powerful and thought-provoking. I've been reflecting on it over the last week, and I had one question. When you talked through the story of the man from Gerasenes, you mentioned that the people are afraid, and because they are overcome with fear, the grace of God can't get to them. I suppose I was wondering, what about those for whom anxiety/fear is a form of suffering they experience? Is that fear a different kind from the fear expressed by the people of Gerasenes, or if it is all the same fear, then how does the grace of God reach those who are suffering from it? Hopefully this question makes sense, and again, thank you so much for this lecture. It was deeply moving for me, so thank you.
Great question. I believe that grace has to come otherwise, so that the fear is relieved. But the wonder of God is that even our resistances to grace become occasions for a greater mercy. Those who are so afraid are closed off to grace from without, we might say, but of course their very being is graced from within—there is something deeper than fear, always, for everyone.
Thank you so much!
Chris, I have listened to this multiple times. This is good, good news. So much truth, so much insight and wisdom.
So much wisdom here and compassion. The part about growth and rest spoke. Sometimes grief and healing from trauma can be a low grade darkness like a plant taken down to its roots, the ground hard all around, waiting for spring sunshine and rains. Yes we have not been taught what it means to live the new creation.
Thank you so much for this lecture, Dr. Green. So powerful and thought-provoking. I've been reflecting on it over the last week, and I had one question. When you talked through the story of the man from Gerasenes, you mentioned that the people are afraid, and because they are overcome with fear, the grace of God can't get to them. I suppose I was wondering, what about those for whom anxiety/fear is a form of suffering they experience? Is that fear a different kind from the fear expressed by the people of Gerasenes, or if it is all the same fear, then how does the grace of God reach those who are suffering from it? Hopefully this question makes sense, and again, thank you so much for this lecture. It was deeply moving for me, so thank you.
Great question. I believe that grace has to come otherwise, so that the fear is relieved. But the wonder of God is that even our resistances to grace become occasions for a greater mercy. Those who are so afraid are closed off to grace from without, we might say, but of course their very being is graced from within—there is something deeper than fear, always, for everyone.