Ep. 3: Crisis Mode

Regina Jemison  0:00  
So, so today, we talked about that we wanted to, well first, just say hello to everybody. And we made it another day, right?

Douglass Smith  0:13  
Just another day.

Regina Jemison  0:23  
Right? So glad to be here to be in conversation and to have a just a brief conversation about this. And we thought about this idea because we started talking about what it is to be in spiritual trouble. And in unpacking in trying to put legs on that, or how do we begin to define that? We said that being in spiritual trouble is the experience where pain or a crisis overshadows your experience of God, pain or crisis overshadows your experience of God. And so you had some thoughts about that. So talk to us. So.

Douglass Smith  1:14  
Um, so yeah, back to Tarzan. So if you were the bad guy, you know, and you didn't watch previous episodes to know what was going to happen to you. You were either going to get ate up by the crocodiles and the crocodile pit or you are going to be chased and Tarzan and fall into the quicksand. Those are very popular endings to every episode. Now I remember being scared of both of them, right? I didn't, didn't really relish the idea of just walking along and then finding myself sinking and not being able to get out of it. And or, you know, facing crocodiles, or alligators, whatever, you know, I don't I remember that. Don't remember the difference between the two. But either way it goes, I didn't really want to do not what no alligator or crocodile.

Regina Jemison  2:25  
You had this thought about Thailand related to this? I do have a thought about okay.

Douglass Smith  2:31  
So, in here's the link in the case of, um, you know, getting thrown into the pit with the crocodiles is, it's very much when we're talking about pain and the pain over overcoming, um, the relationship with God. I think, you know, there are times when we get into situations that are very much it very much feels like we're getting eaten, eaten alive without warning all the sudden. And we don't know what to do. It's our fear or flight mechanism inside of us. And instead of turning to God, we turn away from God. So that's, that's one thing. The second one is quicksand. Yeah. quicksand is a little bit insidious quicksand is if you watch Tarzan, it was a slow death. Right? You, you would start sinking, you would know you were sinking you, you thought you could get out of it. So you would do some actions. But little did you know, the more that you struggle with trying to get out of it.

Regina Jemison  3:56  
Yeah. Before you went deeper.

Douglass Smith  4:00  
So sometimes, when we get into a crisis state, it starts off with the little things right? I'm good. I'm just you know, I'm just not going to go to I'm just not gonna have prayer, right? I'm too busy. Um, you know, it's, it's okay. I'm not you know, you're gonna use that block ministry. when when when the folks that that Shepherd you call all the time, right, because you just don't want to talk to him. You stop, you stop seeking after where God is, and you stop paying you stop paying attention to where God was. And you forget about what God is doing. And that's quicksand. It is insidious, because all the while you're thinking that it's gonna be okay that it is perhaps the case that it is, it's just a little thing that we can get over, I can get through it, and I'm gonna be okay in a couple of weeks, and then you look up, and the pain is so great that you find yourself naked in the garden. And guys asking, Where are you? You are naked.

Regina Jemison  5:51  
So then, is that. So I hear you saying that both that it can come out of nowhere, where you just feel like you're alive? And then the kind of experience of pain or crisis? Where seems like it's okay. Seems like what there is, what was really happening is we're unraveling at the fees.

Douglass Smith  6:21  
Absolutely. That unraveling could be a slow process, or it can happen instantaneously.

Regina Jemison  6:35  
And I think what's important about just where we are, in this era of time in human history, that being able to one identify the, the signs, the sign poles, the signals the symptoms, however, you might say it, of that unraveling of that pain of that crisis of that distance from God, right. And, and then the second part, being able to, to then move to some kind of resolution and stretch towards God, that helps us get through the pain and crisis and not stay stuck here. Because I think we lose that particularly, it's easy in the society that we live in to lose sight of those little things that show us that we're allowing our experience of that to be overshadowed those little things like I don't pray as often I don't have time alone with God as often those little things like I've been short tempered with my children and the little things like I haven't wanted to spend time with my spouse so the little things like the things I used to enjoy the things that were pure expression of my love and my engagement in the things that God gave me to do really disappearing from my view. You know, it's like we like, like the that when we lose that connection, and little by little it happens. And then one day, you're just more bothered and distant and angry at your loved ones and you are connected to them. And you don't know why. One day, you're in serious financial trouble in in and don't know how you got there. Because you were spending out of control, you were gambling out of control or you were you know, whatever it is like those those things along the way that by the time you are in the quicksand or by the time you are present to feeling like you've been eaten alive. It all feels too late or too far gone.

Douglass Smith  9:41  
Right? Because those activities at the time you do want don't feel abnormal?

Regina Jemison  9:52  
Yes, correct. So we live in, right,

Douglass Smith  9:57  
you're spending out of control but At the time, that lie that we believe is that is okay. Time that, that you have that, that engage in that relationship that you that in your right mind you would know to stay away from at that particular time you believe the lie that says it's okay. Or it will be okay. Yeah, all I needed right now just to just to get me by Yep.

Regina Jemison  10:41  
And it's a lie of it's okay it's a lie of I got this and those two I think are the two primary lies that really that we tell ourselves as human beings that practice you know, you know, and so you don't ask for help you don't need anybody tells you you go the familiar way of however you know to deal with it. I got this and I been the key part of that sentence and and it's okay and it's okay it's okay can look like like it's okay cuz everybody else is doing it. It's okay cuz you know you there you are talking about it and no red flags are going off with you or the people you're talking to. It's okay because you know it's not so bad and we really sell out on God's vision for us to live an abundant life we really fell out on on that the the prayers of the righteous availeth much like to sell out on the power of prayer we sell out on the tools that we have access to in a relationship with God right we we we put those aside and that's that overshadowing that's that you know our experience of God is so distance out or non existent or has changed in some way that we we don't carry the pain and the crisis whether recognize it or not to God we simply this okay. I got this and we started to believe the lie

Douglass Smith  12:28  
yeah

it's it's interesting. I'm thinking about Jonah at this moment at the very end the book of Jonah Jonah is hot. He he he really not feeling God at the end of the account. Because he he's like, Look, Lord, I didn't want to go to Nineveh anyway. I told you that matter of fact, I went in the opposite direction so I wouldn't have to go then use it said there's this this big old fish swallow Mia. I've got in my right mind. I went to Nineveh and do what you told me to do. And then after all of that, all of that is stealing no act right? I told you so I'm hot now i'm not i'm not i'm not Lord. I'm not the idea what you told me to do. And it's still a come up the way that I wanted it to. Wait it I thought it should come out. Right.

So that's okay. Listen here. This is in the dog international version by the way. Let me holla at you for a taste. I want to go for a walk with me. Since you know so much. Were you around

when I fly star to the sky? Were you around when I decided that the knee bone should be connected to the shin bone instead of the neck. Where were you when I separated the heavens from the earth? Where were you when I created man out of dust Took some of my essence, and blew it in. Since you know so much. So the reason I'm reminded of this in the context of, of what we're talking about is that we get in this state and we think, as you said, we got as in, we can create our way out of this.

We

were so prideful at times, right? That and we rely on those all societal shake yourself up by your bootstraps. You know, our real fill in the blank, don't need to ask for help.

is a sign of weakness. to, to ask for help. But then, as the church we don't do people, great favors, because once when the saints God, and I'm still talking about the saints, I'm not talking about the folks who note a bro I've been in in rescue missions enough over the last few years. And the folks who are using those facilities, they know, they got no problem saying, Hey, I'm drug addicted, I'm out. I'm an alcoholic or recovering alcoholic, or I used to do domestic violence, they they understand, have a pretty good idea of where they're at in the situation that they're in. But the rest of us, both the in church and our church Christians. We don't do a good enough job allowing folks to be human.

How good does it feel to come down to the altar, during the auto call, if you're the man or woman of God and saying, I had a thought today of committing adultery. Whether or not I did it or not, is immaterial. But I had the thought. Because I'm in a crisis right now in my, in my in my marriage, my relationship. And I'm in a way, I'm in a space where I'm hurting. And that seems like a very real good way to stop the hurting. Who's, who's whose church

is ready to deal with that. Who's whose body of believers is ready to take their person in love upon them in the way that God loves upon us in our field, all the time, in our imperfectness all the time. And because sometimes we need the real manifestation in God and people to love us through our crises, as oppose or in addition to feeling God's love when we're at our bed in the midnight hour crying. Because there's a genuine lack. The church mothers are gone. Because the church Mother, you know, back in the day, a church mother would take you into the side room, and you could tell the church mother, anything that was going on and pray with you, and they will let you fall off at the mouth and snide throw up and carry on in a game worked on out and then they will give you some advice. And then they will say, all right, going back going back service you go be okay to stay with the law.

But that type of that type of intercession. There's, there's that's one of not judging. That's one of permitting humans to be humans. That's one to say, you know what, we got you we don't we don't necessarily condone what you did, but we see you hurt him. And we're going to help walk alongside of you and feed you. Um, because we don't show that a lot of us are in crisis. And we don't know what to do about it. And in fact, we might not even know we're in crisis. If we do know, we don't know what to do by hobby first to say, I've been in crisis before I didn't know what to do, I couldn't stop myself from hurting the people around me that I love. Because hurt people, hurt people.

Regina Jemison  20:27  
So what do we think that, um, you know, as we talk about in this age, right of, you know, in this age in this time of conflict in this time, critical national election in this time need of spiritual grounding in this time of people losing? jobs, loved ones, resources at an alarming rate. What is the thread of hope that reminds people that spiritual health is available? What is the thread of hope that reminds people that being in spiritual trouble is not a permanent is not a permanent condition? Right, because I think what I think what I think if people don't hear anything else to hear today, that being in spiritual trouble having that experience that a pain or crisis is overshadowing or taking away from your experience of God that if you don't hear us say anything else here that is temporary, that that an experience of being far from God or an experience that has taken you out whether it was little by little and before you knew it, you were in trouble, or it was a you know, one fell swoop life change, the diagnosis came the firing of the job came the whatever the situation is, the loss of a loved one came to you, it felt like it took you out that whatever it is, that is temporary. And I think that's important, particularly because we we tend to hold on to things like they are permanent. Particularly when we feel disconnected and pain in pain and broken and challenged, we tend to hold on to things like it'll never, it may never be the same and it's still temporary. Yes, mom has gone on to glory. Yes. You won't get that job that yes, you actually are divorced. And still, the way you feel about it, the way you experience the challenges of life is temporary.

Douglass Smith  23:27  
So

I was trying to find the right translation here, but I can't I can't lay my hands on a quick and 14th chapter. Matthew. We see Jesus me in the chef. He fees of 5000. Right.

Unknown Speaker  24:03  
He

Douglass Smith  24:07  
or at least 5000 we know it's more than that. That was just 5000 man. But what happens next? I think is the answer to part of the answer to your question. They get the eating is late. He tells the disciples to gone to the other side of the lake get on the boat go meet you there and and what happens while they're on the lake is that you know they're there. They're having a Gilligan's Island moment. right the the Water started getting rough the tiny ship was was taught

Regina Jemison  25:03  
you and these old TV shows today. Okay.

Douglass Smith  25:12  
And he starts walking on the water and we know Peter the whole thing, right but not gonna stretch into Peter. But I say this he, he told him he would meet them on the other side. Right go to the other side, I'll meet him He gave His Word. He gave His Word. And so when we get to that point where we're in crisis, I think we have to remember that He gave His Word. He said to us that he would never leave us nor forsake us. His Word says that he was there. Before we got here, he knew us before we were in our mother's womb. Yep. Word says that only he knew the plans that he had for us. When we into crisis. His Word says by His stripes we are healed. And even if that healing is not physical, it could be spiritual. It was his word that he gave. He didn't give Peters word because Peter was a thug. Right? He didn't give Thomas the word because Thomas was a doubter. He didn't give Abraham and Sarah were because Abraham and Sarah laughed. Right? He didn't give Samson the word Samson cut his hair. He gave His Word. A word that doesn't change, not one iota not one tittle it does not change. So if he said he could keep us then no matter what happens, no matter what it looks like, no matter what it feels like if we can just hold on to his unchanging hands. And have courage Fear not have courage. That at the end of the day, we can look up towards the hills from whence come with our help, because he will provide a means for escape. And I know I'm smooshing together a whole bunch of Scripture there. And we don't have time to go into each one of them. But if we can remember his promise to us, that can be enough to get us from the midnight hour, to the point where we can see the sun break up across the sky. I can't hear you.

Regina Jemison  27:46  
So at the end of the day to remember the promises that God has for us.

So I'm a I'm a, I'm gonna go poking a little bit here because in maybe this is next week's conversation is is is, you know, is easy to say remember the promises, but if I'm feeling distant, if my pain and crisis is overshadowing my experience of God.

You know, remembering remembering the promises of God might feel real challenging.

Douglass Smith  28:39  
Yes. So that's a good thing. Let's talk about exercising the spirit next week.

Regina Jemison  28:46  
Exercises spirit. Okay,

Douglass Smith  28:48  
sizing the spirit. Exercising. I'll just give a little spoiler alert. It involves muscle memory.

Regina Jemison  29:01  
exercises that involve muscle look for this for this week, right. I just want to encourage people to that to remember that trouble was temporary.

Douglass Smith  29:20  
Yeah, it's just a season.

Regina Jemison  29:22  
Yeah, trouble is temporary. That it's okay to it. Because one of the things I've been hearing today in our conversations that the that not only is trouble temporary, but that it's okay to be in trouble. Right. I think that was one of those that was one of those gifts of sitting with the mothers of the church that we knew growing up is that the mother's that judgment free zone that the mothers have for you in that day. That spirit of encouragement in that spirit of love in that spirit of just gathering you up and telling you everything is okay, that the gift that the mothers brought was oftentimes no judgment. And baby, it's okay. Like, it's okay, it's okay that you're in trouble. And it's gonna be okay. In the future. Because we, we I think we all need to be reminded, because mostly when we're in pain, we don't want to be there. And we think we shouldn't be there for various reasons. But to remember that it's okay to be in trouble. And it's temporary.

Douglass Smith  30:50  
It's about perspective, right? You know, sometimes God has such a better view of what's unfolding for us than we do in the moment.

And

sometimes that trouble is just to test even if it goes into trouble,

Regina Jemison  31:16  
right and I think what's great about what you're saying is about God's put it in perspective and really getting that God has a greater perspective is to is to say that we that that not only does God have greater perspective, but in in that'll help you remember the promises of God, right? Love you, you ain't been able to figure it out in the past and trying to understand it now. Ain't gonna make sense either. So go live let go of our needs to try and understand let's let it look we can't make sense of the pandemic. I don't care how many news reports I don't care how many things we learn how many we can't we can't we can't make sense of the cancer diagnosis. We can't make sense of the terrible things that happen to good people and and great things that happen to quote unquote bad people like we can't make sense of most of life. So how about we just remember it's all temporary moving in Dynamics God's got greater wider, deeper perspective and and just to rely on that rely on the nature of God I think that's a that's a good that's a good reminders for when you're in spiritual trouble. Okay, so

Douglass Smith  32:50  
so let's wrap up with with a prayer this session. Father God, we thank you for not being asleep. We're in crisis. For always having an answer for us Father, God, Father, we we ask that you would just give us ears to hear in whatever season we're in. Father, I asked you to just allow us to be bold enough and courageous enough to open our mouths in our hearts to you when we hurt but as we depart from this particular conversation, we would just ask that you would remember us remember those of us who are the least of us remember those of us who are in a in a particular place that's not called place yeah. But you know, God you you you know, all the seasons. It didn't surprise you that we we found ourselves in a particular place in a particular situation. And even if it's the place of our own design guy, we know that you know better than we do. And so father we we thank you yes, be a promise keeper for sending your work in advance in ahead of us that it would meet us where we were. We're at are at and we'll be at you are magnificent. Awesome. got enough words. Copic You are the Great I Am and we thank you for that. Jesus name, we pray. Thank god Amen.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai