Faithful Frustration | Learning Guide

November 5th, 2023

Introduction:

Pastor and poet writes in his exegesis of Franz Wright’s poem Wake; “We have to choose to be well; and that means choosing to let go of our deceptive stories about our independence and the simultaneous lazy acceptance of being at the mercy of events, instincts, cravings, and so on.”

Easier said than done though, right? What about our deep need for assurance we are on the right path, that we are seen, known and not alone? And while we are at it, how about some assurance that we are on the right side of things, that our efforts and sacrifices, our faith will pay off and we will “see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”?

Well, our text this week might not seem very reassuring on the surface, but if we’re willing to dig deep into it, we might find something really valuable.

Let’s dig in and see what we can find.

Grace and peace y’all,

John Ray and the Teaching Team

Big Idea:

Our desire for absolute assurance is often frustrated by our interactions with God. Paradoxically, giving up the demand for assurance on our terms is what allows for a way forward.

Take Away:

Cultivating a practice of faithful frustration doesn't come easy or without sustained effort. It also takes, as William’s reminds us “We have to…let go of our deceptive stories…and our…simultaneous lazy acceptances...”

Text:

Exodus 34:6-7 (NET)

How does this fit with Belong, Become, Believe?

At Grace, we practice extending the invitation to belong as a reflection of the experience of God’s invitation to us. This practice helps form us more and more into the person and people we are invited to be. All this is formed by and informs what we say we believe.

Resources

• More on Franz Wright

What's Next?

Dr. Acuff takes us to the penultimate end of Exodus.