My dearest oldest friend Kathy, who was the maid of honor at my wedding a lifetime ago, is now caring for her grown daughter who is enduring arduous cancer treatments. I told Kathy I’m praying for them both, every morning. And by that I meant: I’m making demands of God.
“Whenever I pray, God really gets an earful,” I told Kathy.
She thought I was kidding.
I wasn’t.
Over the years my relationship with The-Power-For-Good, which is my conception of God, has only gotten stronger and more muscular. Instead of whispering or tiptoeing, I approach my God forcefully. I don’t grovel. I grapple. I’m scrappy and demanding.
I make daily demands for strength, wisdom, compassion, patience, endurance — all the things I lack. I pray for the people I love who are far away, out of touch, out of my reach. I demand answers to questions that begin with “Why…?”. I pray for Biden. I pray for Lopez Obrador. And more. One way or another, in good time, I get most of my answers. Oh, and I try to balance my many requests with an equal number of thank-you’s for my many blessings.
It’s taken a while to reach this point of stubborn independent beliefs — years of spiritual interior struggle, like soul-climbing over a series of rocky, treacherous mountains, where the only viable way was up. I’ve long since ditched prepackaged prayers, choreographed rituals, and commonly held religious dogmas made by men hell-bent on mind control.
Manmade religions may well be a comfort to many, and I respect that need. But to me, when religious leaders preach bigotry and narrow-mindedness in the name of God, they are grossly misrepresenting the Supreme Being and doing more harm than good.
I know people who’ve become so disillusioned with the religious teachings of their childhood they’ve turned their backs on all of it, including the belief in a sovereign God. To me, this is tragic. I can’t help but wonder: Who do these people go to for help and guidance? Who do they pray to? Where do they derive their spiritual strength? How do they feed the spiritual hungers we all possess?
As my author friend Sallie Bingham wrote in her recent blog post, “Why I Believe”: “I believe because I have to” (https://salliebingham.com/why-i-believe/ ). I feel the same way. I have to believe in God because I am unable to believe in man. I cannot believe in mammon (money) either, although I know it’s become the prevailing First World god.
In my recent correspondence with Kathy, I mentioned the Tony-award-winning Broadway musical that came out in the mid-’70s when I’d moved to New York to attend Columbia University, “Your Arms Too Short to Box with God.” As a starving scholarship student, with neither money nor time, I never saw the show; but I saw the marquee in midtown and ads for the show everywhere as I walked from my part-time job in publishing to the Columbia campus uptown. And I’d think, Ha! MY arms are NOT too short to box with God! I box with God all the time! We’re sparring partners.
My God, the Great Spirit (to borrow the Native American term), creator of all that is good, and freely available to all through heartfelt prayer, doesn’t live in any one church – or synagogue or temple or mosque, for that matter. In my view, no religion holds the sole proprietorship on God.
My God, The-Power-For-Good, who sustains me, guides me, uplifts me, gives me purpose — and often answers my prayers — lives in the boxing ring in my heart.
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Once again your thoughts are excellently expressed and I am in agreement with you. I picture God really looking forward to YOUR requests, thoughts and questions. Not the norm, like when we speak with a like minded person who brings new eyes and sometimes answers to our questions. I think you give him hope for humanity, in a world we are seeing so little of.
Thank you, Susie. I picture God sticking his fingers in his ears at the sound of my nagging voice and telling his angels, “Give her whatever she wants so she’ll give me peace and quiet!” Ha-ha! 🙂
Thanks Bonnie uplifting message ándele
Thanks so much, Pat. I’m glad you found it uplifting! And I’m happy to hear from you. I hope all is well with you and family in Albuquerque. Love, Bonnie
Spot on, Mija.
Mil gracias, Querida!
This is so beautiful and so true. Blessings to you.
Thank you, Miereille. I appreciate your kind words (and blessings).
I think that’s what God wants us to do, Bonnie. To take responsibility for changing the things we don’t like and affirm through gratitude the things we appreciate. We all have our ways of trying for a different outcome, but begging never worked for me, either!
Thanks, Be, for your input. Yes, boxing works for me…
Thanks Bonnie! I needed to read that!
You’re so welcome, Helen dear! Glad it resonated.
Thank you, well said,real, and very human, filled with humility and love of God.
Thanks so much, Mark! You’ve made my day! Best wishes to you, Bonnie
This is a clarion statement, BB, one of your best posts I can remember! Inspiring!!
Thanks so much, Steve! Your p.o.v. means a lot to me. — xx
Good food for thought, Bonnie. Thank you. Reminds me of Jacob who wasn’t wimpy about his request either. Gen. 32:22-32.
Thank you, dear Kaye. Yes, sometimes I feel like an Old Testament character when I go into the ring with God! 🙂
I sincerely hope you found our shared “church” in San Miguel to be antithetical to the kind of bigotry found in many, but not all churches. I stake my life on traveling a more excellent way as a minister who follows the way of Jesus: a life of kindness, compassion, generosity, forgiveness, radical inclusivity and love from beginning to end. In just four months the I look forward to seeing you again. Anna Verlee Copeland
And you succeed brilliantly, dear Anna. You are a shining light. I look forward to seeing you again, too — and in just four months! How wonderful!
Every time I read your blogs I am reminded what an amazing person you are. So grateful you share your inner thoughtw with us all
Ah, Ruth, you are too kind! And do you know you are my role model? 🙂
A wonderful blog Bonnie. I wholeheartedly agree with you!
Thanks so much for saying so, Marcia. I hope you are doing well.
Dear Bon,
Thank you for this heartfelt reflection. The point of grappling with God is to arrive at a place where we understand our beliefs and know who we are. All this takes a lifetime, and it is not easy.
Those who preach hate and division do us the favor of telling us they are the servants of Mammon. Unfortunately, they influence many, particularly those people who prefer to be told what to believe. These people are preyed on and their basest instincts cynically manipulated in a manner calculated to result in the preacher’s enrichment. Sadly, we have thousands of years of precedent for such schemes. It can and should be deplored, but I doubt it will change.
Love,
Paul
Ah, Paul dear — that’s it in a nutshell, alas. Disheartening indeed. — BB xx
So beautiful and well written, la Bonnie. I love how people in Mexico they address God as “Diosito”….a kind and loving energy/ being.
Gracias, querida Teresita! I so appreciate your comments, siempre. — BB xx