We are not cynical; we have different sets of questions

#BeingHuman. We are not cynical; we have different sets of questions because our frame of reference has been forcibly rewritten by full-scale war. When we experience suffering or trauma, our frame of reference changes, especially with all the consequences of the ongoing full-scale war. The way we see the world and our place in it is rewritten. This can lead to us asking different questions than those who have yet to have similar experiences. The questions are in search of how to keep your identity and continue your work and ministry as a human being in the image of God and as a follower of the Way with the Community of Hope.

Some people may see our questions as cynical or pessimistic. But it is important to remember that we are not cynical. We are simply trying to make sense of a world that has been turned upside down for us. In the Bible, we see many examples of people who asked difficult questions after experiencing suffering. For example, Job asked God why He had allowed him to suffer so much. David asked God why He was so far away when he needed Him most. And Jesus Himself asked God why He had forsaken Him on the cross. Were they cynical or pessimistic? These are not cynical questions. These are the core questions of people struggling to understand why God allows suffering, war, and the high death toll in our lives and country.

Although we are asking difficult questions because full-scale war has forcibly rewritten our frame of reference, we know that we are not alone. Even during the war, God is with us... even when He chooses not to respond to our questions and prayers the way we want and expect. You are also with us, the People of the Bridge and the Community of Hope, who help us understand and shape our questions about God, ourselves, and our Mission that has not changed. And together, we may find answers in His time, or may not...

My prayer today on the Way from Jerusalem to Emmaus: Dear Stranger, we walk with You today with a heavy heart, although we see people who walk up from Emmaus to Jerusalem with peaceful faces. The war has rewritten our frame of reference, and we struggle to understand it all. We have so many questions and need help figuring out where to turn. But we know You are walking with us on the Way from the city of Peace amid our ongoing pain, although we may not recognize Your face and presence. We trust that You understand our questions and will help us find answers in Your time, or You may not. Please help us to be patient and help us to trust in Your goodness, even when we don't understand it at all. Please help us to remain a part of Your Community of Hope on the Way. Please help us not to hurt those who love us from among the People of the Bridge. Peace be with You, Stranger, too...