Inspiration and hope arise when we have eyes to see and hearts that are not blocked to whimsey and divinely inspired truths. The other day I stumbled on such a truth on a box of tea, I have been drinking the same tea for years and never noticed that there were quotes on the box. This was my truth of the day that seemed to speak so clearly to me and maybe to many:

No coward soul is mine
No trembler in the world’s storm-troubled sphere
I see Heaven’s glories shine
And Faith shines equal arming me from Fear- Emily Bronte

Truly let these beautiful words sink in. I love how so much of literature no matter when it was written speaks directly to our times. This is when I call them ‘truths’ – truth that just runs through time. Written by the wise and sages for us to stumble upon and stand a bit straighter on firmer ground after witnessing these threads of hope and faith to sustain the seeker. I am not sure if it is the lingering winter or the political weight that seems to be like dense fog to the soul but I would say a good amount of us are feeling some mix of despair, disillusionment and or fear. Emily whispers to us to not tremble in the storm of the world’s doing. She encourages us that faith will arm us from fear. Honestly this is about the only self help ‘technique’ that works for me! Flip the fear to trust. But trust in what?

The book of Romans written by Paul offers much advise for dealing with suffering and finding solid ground to stand on. Romans 8:22—25 says this:

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently

I attest, I know nothing. I have been accused of being naïve, burying my head in the sand or seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses. Rainbows and unicorns. But I think this is what faith looks like to me, to have hope in things not seen. To feel held in a safe place always, an unknown grace that carries and sustains me. Maybe you could try this on or simple explore what faith and patience look like to you. Perhaps faith is an armor for fear as Emily Bronte suggests.

The Bible is full of stories of transformation which often comes when God is trusted. Abraham or Moses and many others would most likely have had some doubts about what God promised. They may have even, like Joseph, thought choose another, I’m out. However, they chose to trust and God’s promises were always fulfilled. Often not even in one generation’s life time, or many generations but the promises were fulfilled. I think this gives us hope in our current times, that God is still holding things together and has a plan for us individually and collectively.

My pastor has suggested in a few different sermons that we sing a new song. There is complexity to this seemingly simple suggestion. For me it is an invitation to reassess what we are truly worshiping. Is it the drumbeat of the ‘worlds storm-troubled spere’, the shrill whine of the news? Maybe your song is all of your own notes, a song of the ego or a constant stanza of marching towards success and accumulation with no rest periods between all the loud notes? True worship is a sweeter song with lots of rests where we can feel God’s presence and direction. My mind went to the song 40 by U2 when considering this invitation to sing a new song. This song that Bono wrote was based on psalm 40. I did not know this back in the 80’s when I loved this bit of a sleeper song of my favorite band. The song is brief but whispered to me of simple truths even as a teen:

I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay

I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long, how long
How long, how long to sing this song?

He set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm
Many will see
Many will see and fear

I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

When considering the meaning behind this song and Bono’s unique perspective we could muse about the longtime struggles and suffering in Ireland between the north and south. We could feel the words speak of our own suffering story, seriously God, how long must I endure this, is there even a new song? This reminds me of the innovations in neuroscience and the function of the brain. We can sing a new song! The stories that we tell of our pain often reinforce the pain, we can inadvertently help the brain go down the same tired neural pathways, actually decreasing the threshold of pain and suffering. When we tell a new story of resiliency, trust in God, hope in our own body and mind to heal, new more healthy pathways are actually written in our brain, in our tissues, maybe even in our hearts. I think what Bono is alluding to in his somewhat haunting song, is that we do have a choice (the ability to rewrite our stories and rewire our neural pathways) even in a troubled world we can choose how to respond and what to give our energy, voice and praise to.

Yes, we have control over what we give our energy and praise to. Coming back to Emily Bronte’s poem- by looking up-heavenward or to God, we glimpse the shining of faith. We can also see this shining of faith, the mirror of God’s glory in the natural world. Psalm 96 speaks to this. Bono might of even sang this psalm too! The Psalmist says this in Psalm 96:11-13.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord.

No wonder we feel at peace in nature. All of creation is singing praise to God. I know I have always felt at peace and filled with joy on a windy day in the forest or listening to the waves at the beach. Could we entertain modeling this ritual of praise and worship. In fact Paul invites us to do just this in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Of course, Paul does not mean we should be on our knees in prayer all day long but rather that we live our lives with an awareness that God is with us and is actively involved in our lives. We could even say the He is shining on us, arming us from fear. Perhaps a practice we could enact would be to sing a new song. A song of praise and trust that God is truly for us.