What Do You Believe? Part 2

I was surprised when the Hip-Hop, Rap and Urban Fashion mogul, Jay-Z was being interviewed on the November 29th airing of Nightline, where he talked about growing and maturing from a street thug who sold Crack to a Hip-Hop star and beyond.  What he has promoted has often been murderous, blasphemous, misogynistic and materialistic.  But what struck me was how his worldview and belief system were changing, not only because he was older, but because he had visited Africa and encountered a greater reality - poverty.  He was no longer just a Hip-Hop mogul… he was now an individual who was using his resources to make a difference.  Where will he end up?  I’m not sure, but what I am sure of is that the encounter on his beliefs caused him to begin to change his actions.
 
As we grow, so should our belief system.  As we mature, so should our understanding and our beliefs are modified as we seek to understand the world around us.  Some beliefs of old have been invalidated, while others have proven true throughout the ages.  When I was little I believed in Santa Clause, Superman and Peter Pan.  But as I grew up, I realized that no matter how badly I wanted them to be real, there were never going to be.  After 9-11 a little boy asked his mother, “Where was Superman?”  Adults asked an even greater question, “Where was God?”  When the reality we have always known comes crumbling down… our beliefs are tested to see if they are real or not.   

My own belief system makes room for a creation entwined in both natural and supernatural dimensions – for empirical evidence that exists on multiple levels, for a universe made up of more that is not seen than the things which we can see. 

I believe God is our Biggest Fan.  He creates us with dreams and purpose in mind.  No matter who we are, we all have been given gifts, talents and dreams that reside deep at the core of who we are (like seeds) and many of us have no clue about our true identity, not because we can’t, but because we don’t make time to truly and honestly go through the continuous process of discovery, which can be great, exciting, trying and difficult!

Though life is full of calamity and persecution, with only pockets of obvious safety, humor, and beauty - God ultimately controls all things and by my continually receiving God’s loving Presence into my heart and mind – I receive a Peace, a Joy and a Power which defies all earthly understanding.  I do not have to retain a victim mentality that is constantly afraid of persecution (although sometimes I do), because through Christ I can overcome any challenge and obstacle that may come my way.

To paraphrase the author, John Eldredge, you and I are a part of an Epic adventure that stretches far beyond anything we can imagine.  Within this massive adventure, we are involved in a tremendous warfare that exists on many different levels; a warfare where there are many casualties and victories.  And we each have a major part to play within this universe of adventure.