When you argued with God

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."


Matthew 8:31-33

Most of us have been here with Peter.  When we enter discipleship, enthusiasm may take over, and we may begin to dream dreams and envision plans that are not necessarily the way God would have them. 

Any barrier or call for a more patient pace may seem like an affront.  It may not make sense to us.  We may get defensive.  Or our lower lip may jut out in disappointment

 and we may quit, saying something like:  If I can’t have it my way then I won’t do it at all. 

Living in ambiguity can generate all sorts of anxiety.  We need God’s help and guidance in many ways, but especially in becoming vulnerable, unknowing, and obedient.  Dependency upon God increases our faith-hardiness and our resiliency.

I recall a moment when I met with the Assistant to the Bishop to discuss candidacy in the ELCA.  I waxed eloquent to her about my sense of call.  I also told her all of the ways my gifts could most certainly be used -- when, where, how.  At that moment she interrupted me.  In Christ's Name, she rebuked me.  

She said, "You are not ready.  You are too certain about the way this is supposed to work.  Go back to your prayers regarding this.  Listen.  And when you are ready to say nothing more about this than "Yes, and I ask God to help and guide me" come back and we will talk about candidacy." 

I was disappointed and hurt.  I thought that the more I knew about my path (setting my mind on human things) the more effective I would be in discipleship.  Not so.  The less I know the more likely I am to follow the guidance of the divine.  

I thank God, now, that I was rebuked.  I needed that.  

Read, Reflect and Write. 

This week you begin with "Once upon a time, I set my mind on human things."  Can you recall a time when you "knew everything" about the way things were supposed to go?  When did you trust what humans were telling you (through media or peer pressure or your own ego) more than what God was saying?  Who (or what) showed up to rebuke you? 

Sometimes we call these turning points "reality checks".  Something happens that places what we are doing or thinking in line with "reality" and we discover that we have been denying what is true.  When it comes to faithful discipleship,  it may be more accurate to call these turning points "divinity checks".