A headline on the front page of Saturday's paper read "Letters Reveal Mother Teresa's Doubt." I read with interest because one of my friends (hi, Lindsay!) recently turned me onto Mother Teresa. Of course, I had heard of her before- who hasn't? But I had never read much about her life. I recently finished the book Reaching Out in Love which is a collection of short stories and quotes from her life. That woman is one of the best examples we have witnessed in our lifetime of someone really truly living out Jesus' call for self-sacrifice and love. However, the article reveals that she "struggled for 50 years with doubts about a faith she served so devotedly." And we're not talking small doubts. Some of the quotes they have from 66 years worth of her letters to superiors point to deep, dark, spiritual angst marked by a complete lack of communion with God. She wrote that she felt complete emptiness, and lack of faith. She called her own smile a "mask."
I've been thinking about this and a few things have come to mind. First, I appreciate knowing that someone living out the gospel so completely had trouble "feeling" God. It makes me feel better about my own doubts. Let's face it, I have some. My doubts probably stem from my own faults: lack of daily Bible reading, inconsistent prayer life, inability to love others in a selfless way. But doubts are doubts, and I love how she was able to "fake it until you make it," even if she never quite made it to the level of spiritual enlightenment that we would all like to achieve (which this article would imply). It shows that our journey is one of commitment, not emotion. Whether we feel God or not, we make a conscious decision to follow him, and act on his teachings because we believe it is the right thing to do. Secondly, it makes me admire her even more because I know how hard it is to keep doing something when it seems that God is being silent about it. I don't know why she felt so isolated from God when she was doing what he wanted her to do. It doesn't seem fair or right. But she believed in the big picture instead of trying to find her own personal happiness. She knew it wasn't all about her. I get caught up in my own desires, feelings, needs...she persisted even when she wasn't getting much out of it. She kept quietly serving day after day, year after year, and I am guessing she is reaping the reward now of intense closeness to God that she had longed for all those years on earth.
5 comments:
Good post Becky! I have been dealing with the feeling of not being close to God for quite awhile now, so it is an encouragement to me also that people like Mother Teresa dealt with this also.
Thanks for this post today Becky. I too have read some of the quotes from her letters and like you took comfort in knowing someone else has moments like me. Of course the Bible is riddled with the same kind of people. David had his bad days in the Psalms as well. I am so thankful that we have a God who is patient and loving with us and all He asks is that we trust and obey (humm...maybe I should make that into a song? lol)
I have been doing a study in our ladies class called Hearing God's Voice by Blackaby. It has been the best study I have done in a while because it is all about being still and hearing God's voice. It is scary to think that scripture is clear that if we hear His voice and are disobedient, His voice becomes softer. I would really recommend this book but I think it has been a bigger blessing to study it with a class rather than individually. It has really helped me through my recents struggles. I have heard His voice strengthening me daily!
William and I were talking a bit about this last night. I really think that the more passion you have for God, the bigger your doubts.
I respect Mother Teresa even more now- if that is possible. B/c she was so devoted she was able to share in his suffering. I can't imagine seeing what she saw everyday in India's poor and not having her faith jolted a bit. But she always knew she needed Him. She always showed love and was love. I can't remeber the name of the preacher (from ACU) that came to RE who said the opposite of Faith is not doubt - it is complacency. Mother Teresa was far from complacent. Thank you for sharing this with us.
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