Weekly reflection on “The Good and Beautiful God” Final reflections

This book is successful in changing some of my narratives. For example, I learnt that the will actually has no power, so transformation is not done through “willpower”, but through spiritual growth, which occurs under the leading of the Holy Spirit.[1] I am again reminded that transformation begins in the mind (Romans 12:2)[2]. Furthermore, it very interesting that the author describes that if someone suffered a misfortune and others respond with a “who sinned” attitude, this is being built on a false narrative that says we have to do something in order to get the blessings of the God, and conversely, if we anger God, we will surely be punished[3]. This “works-based” false narrative has a danger of giving us the illusion that we can control our world through what we do (ie. by doing good), which is very appealing in our chaotic existence[4]. This reminds me of the fact that bad things can happen to good people, and good things can happen to bad people. The author also calls on us to be honest to God when we face difficulties in life (“cups”), instead of pretending that everything was fine.[5] This reminds me to stay in touch with my feelings. I am also reminded of the dangers of the performance-orientated false narrative which can lead to a loss of enjoyment of co-working with God. A less stressful alternative would be that when I see opportunities to spread the gospel to my relatives and friends, I act upon it out of love, and leave the results in God’s hands. And if people actually turn to God, it is God who did it. I have the tendency to err on the side of self-righteousness and see a need for God to further increase my capacity to tolerate God’s unconditional love and graciousness for all, especially when grace[6] falls upon people who behaved wickedly or lived their life in sloth. And finally, as a busy GP, the most important reminder applicable to me in this book is the need to “de-mechanise” myself, as spiritual renewal is a gradual process, and in addition to being slow, it is not uniform.[7] There most important aspects of our lives cannot be rushed. We cannot love, think, eat, laugh or pray in a hurry. Taking time is especially important in our spiritual lives: in our spiritual life we cannot do anything important in a hurry.[8]

被命令所囚禁
情感被剝奪
靈魂在哭泣
應該相信的事 
已經早就知道了吧？
突破現狀 

誰的拳頭讓人低下的頭
也會一定會因為信念而抬起頭
把贏家改寫的歷史丟棄
繼續追尋傳說

（副）
此生到盡頭
就算人們笑我
只願在愛著的人的心頭
永遠的 如長風吹過
…………………………………………
激動的時代裡
你我比蜉蝣還要虛幻
是只能漂泊的命運嗎？
對你而言 這首歌
是靡靡唱遊 
還是最後的希望火種

對無名的星星而言 世界的角落
就算沒有辦法照遍也無妨
即便如此 那微弱的光芒
也還在等待點亮誰的瞳孔

（副）
此生到盡頭
就算人們笑我
只願在愛著的人的心頭
永遠的 如長風吹過
…………………………………………
不論何時蒼生都在
等候英雄
不能失去的什麼
仍在不停的失去著

此生到盡頭
就算人們笑我
只願在愛著的人的心頭
永遠的 如長風吹過

永遠的 如長風吹過~完！

Bibliography:

Smith, James Bryan.The Good and Beautiful God. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2010.

Wang, Ying-fan Yvonne. Dr Yvonne Wang’s Blabberings. Last modified May28, 2015. http://dryvonnewang.blogspot.com.au.

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[1]James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful God,(London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2010), 22.

[2]Smith, The Good and Beautiful God, 26.

[3]Smith, The Good and Beautiful God, 40.

[4]Smith, The Good and Beautiful God, 45.

[5]Smith, The Good and Beautiful God, 65.

[6]Smith, The Good and Beautiful God, 102.

[7]Smith, The Good and Beautiful God, 186.

[8]Smith, The Good and Beautiful God, 180.