Comments on: Living in the Desert 2

By: Rupert’s Blog » Living in the Desert 3

Rupert’s Blog » Living in the Desert 3 — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:32:40 +0000

[...] Living in the Desert 2 [...]

By: rupert

rupert — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:21:43 +0000

Thanks for the comment alastair - i think i will post further about this, but i see depression and feeling down as more like what the ancient mystics called a “dark night of the soul” … rather misleading as mostly much longer than a night!

Both desert and dark night have a sense of God being hidden and feeling absent. Worship as you say can be a great way to connect, but some people these dark periods can go on for months or years.

Again i would say these times are not bad or wrong, but are opportunities to learn and grow in the midst of pain and struggle.

By: rupert

rupert — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:18:10 +0000

Yes Yes Yes! I personally draw a distinction between “desert” and “dark night of the soul” … the latter is more about pain. But both are about struggle, and maturity in the spiritual life onlyl comes with struggle. Jacob wrestling with God is a very powerful image of this.

By: Alastair

Alastair — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:58:37 +0000

Hi Rupert, thanks for defining what you mean by “the desert” as I was going to ask that question. I’m not sure I have ever been in this spiritual desert. I’ve certainly been in emotional deserts before (i.e. feeling really down or depressed), and that certainly makes it harder to connect with God. However, often in those times its things like worship that helps me to reconnect to God. I certainly get fed-up of church meetings, but its usually because I don’t want to be around people, rather than something to do with church or Christians in particular

By: Laura Anne

Laura Anne — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:20:44 +0000

Ever since you wrote that first post Rupert, this has been totally plaguing my mind - and I’m not even in a ‘desert place’ right now - how very strange.

That last part you wrote there Adam jumped out at me…

“in terms of soul work, we dare not get rid of the pain before we have learned what it has to teach us”

I’ve been reading a book by Elisabeth Elliot (she’s on my ‘wish I could meet for coffee with’ list - wise and inspiring woman!), and last night this last sentence of the chapter I was reading caught my attention - “If all struggles and sufferings were eliminated, the spirit would no more reach maturity than would the child. The Heavenly Father wants to see us grow up”

By: rupert

rupert — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:41:24 +0000

Adam - i think you (and Rohr!) are so right. I think one of the majour problems for the church today is that we have a view of God that he is there to fix all our problems, ills, concerns, provide for us, etc etc. It is a spiritualised version of what secular people do … make our lives more comfortable … but human beings are still the centre.

I think the challenge is to put God at the centre and for our lives to revolve around him. If he chooses to heal, bless, provide etc that is his prerogative.

By: Adam A

Adam A — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:16:44 +0000

Hi Rupert,

I’ve recently started Richard Rohr’s “Everything Belongs” and the desert theme reminded me of this passage which I read last night:

“We live in a treacherously seductive culture because it is so immediately satisfying. We take away pain too easily. We give answers too quickly and too quickly stimulate. That’s why the poor have a head start. They can’t resort to the instant fix to any problem: the aspirin, the trip, some entertainment [not referring here to many of the UK poor who *are* able to live precisely on an anaesthetising diet of prescription/illicit drugs, alcohol and media entertainment - my comment]. They remain empty whether they want to or not. We are at a symbolic disadvantage as a wealthy culture. Jesus said that the rich man or woman will find it hard to understand what he is talking about. The rich can satisfy their loneliness and longing in false ways, in quick fixes that avoid the necessary learning. [On the other hand] *in terms of soul work, we dare not get rid of the pain before we have learned what it has to teach us*.”

By: The Australian Desertplace « Musings of a Koala

The Australian Desertplace « Musings of a Koala — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:40:07 +0000

[...] The Australian Desertplace Rupert has been writing some posts on the metaphorical ‘desert place’ [...]

By: Random Readings « What’s your point caller?

Random Readings « What’s your point caller? — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:32:41 +0000

[...] - Rupert on living in the desert [...]