joy triumphs over despair

I had a Calvary member ask me recently how one is able to balance the muck and mire in the world with the glimpses of God's love and transformation. Her work has her constantly responding to crises that affect people in fundamental ways. All that sadness and tragedy and sin threatens to overwhelm her and cloud out the Light of Christ's work.

Much of my week is spent reacting to difficulty or crises; not all of it to be sure but much of it. I shaerd with her, and share with you now some thoughts of others that have helped me come to grips with the muck and mire.

The late 18th century theologian and pastor Friedrich Schleiermacher put the issue very clearly in his seminal work The Christian Faith. He argued against the existence of Hell on the grounds that it would cause sadness in Heaven. How could saints rejoice in Heaven knowing that friends or kin or even strangers were simultaneously suffering in Hell? While I've never been a fan of Schleiermacher, I found this to be a very good question. I do believe that Hell exists (call me old-fashioned if you must) but his point gave me pause to consider this.

Sometime later I ran across C.S. Lewis's response to this point. I do not recall which work it was in but Lewis essentially argues that evil cannot conquer or overcome or dilute joy. Joy wins out and breaks through the muck and mire. If we allow sadness about the state of the world, others, Hell, to leash and encumber our lives, then we suffer from a misunderstanding or poor experience of joy. In doing this, we also limit the glory and bounty of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Evil does not have the power to limit joy inherently; only when we succumb to the so that sadness eclipses rejoicing do we bestow that power upon evil.

I know that the muck and mire is temporary. I take is seriously, of course, but it lacks the permanence and substance of joy and light and grace. Knowing that allows me to experience the depths while clinging to the heights.