I've been thinking more about not worrying and approaching things from a perspective of faith, particularly in the context of my job search. My heart wants to believe that God knows I need a job, and that He knows how to use me, and that I'll be employed when and where God wants me to be. It may not be what I expect, or what I would choose on my own, but in the core of my being I believe that God has it in hand and that even if it's a bumpy road, it'll be okay. (Of course this doesn't mean I don't need to do things like search and apply and interview. We're called to act in partnership with God, not to be inert puppets.)
I think the mental struggle I'm having is that even if one believes that God has everything in hand, in many cases that's a horrible thing to say to someone else. It carries a sense of blaming the victim, either for their situation or for their distress. Telling someone who's lost a loved one that God has a plan doesn't usually ease their pain or make them feel okay about the loss – especially if it's a death due to violence or an accident, or one that seems untimely – basically if it's not someone quietly dying in their sleep at the end of a long and happy life. It makes perfect sense to wonder how having your friend shot in a mugging could be within God's providence when shooting and mugging people obviously is not what God want us to do. Telling someone who's facing unemployment that they need to have faith sounds insulting, as if you're able to judge their faith. It also sounds unsympathetic – sort of a sense of “take it to God, don't bother me.” If someone isn't having their basic needs me, telling them God will provide isn't nearly as helpful as getting them a sandwich. (I think one of the Gospels actually says something along those lines.) Telling someone that God has it under control seems to be useless or worse both for providing emotional support and for practical help.
And yet in my own life, I find it tremendously comforting to believe that God knows where I'm going, even if I don't. And it's reasonable to want to share that source of comfort. But I think this one of the cases where preaching the Gospel through actions is much more useful that preaching it through words. Basically, I think I can take any time where I'm inclined to say that God will make things okay as an opportunity to prove it by participating in the making okay. Instead of telling someone that their loved one is with God and that their emotional pain will heal, what I ought to do is listen and hold them and help in the healing process. Instead of telling someone that God will put them in the right job at the right time, I should keep an ear out for leads and help them polish their resume so that they'll be ready when the right job shows up. Instead of telling someone that God will provide for their needs, I should make or buy them a meal so that their needs are provided for, at least in that moment.
I think that has more to do with what sharing the Gospel is about. It's not just one more thing to think we're right about and try to convince other people to agree with us about. Sharing the Gospel is meant to be for the benefit of others, not for ourselves, not to make us feel better or feel like we're on the winning side or make us look good in front of others. Of course, there might well be joy in it – I think that true joy may be indistinguishable from having our hearts aligned with God's – and that true joy and true pain can probably coexist. But the kingdom of God is far too important to be wedded to our pride (which doesn't mean we won't make those kind of mistakes – we will, but we need to recognize that they are mistakes).
So when do we preach the Gospel with words? I suppose that's what I'm doing now, though I hadn't thought of it that way until just this minute. And I find it a bit scary to think of it that way, since I'm sure I'm a heretic in one way or another. But besides that, and whatever forums any of the rest of us use to be able to talk about things that are close to our hearts, I guess one answer is when we're asked. If someone wants to know why I care about social justice, then it's time to use words. That can be hard to do, because it can seem like if my beliefs about justice are based in my faith then that might imply that I don't think they apply to those who don't share my faith – but they do. A lot of my sense of the importance of social justice comes from the example of Jesus, but I also think it's about what's right, regardless of faith. It's okay to follow another belief system if that's where your experience and your heart lead you. It's not okay to exploit people, period. Anyway. I guess I can also use words when the subject at hand is my own experience and sense that God can be trusted. I can “be prepared to give an accounting of the hope that is in me” and along those lines, I can have faith that if God wants that particular kind of witness from me, He'll put me in the right situation for it.
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