A Lesson from the Storybooks

Reading Donita K. Paul's DragonSpell, I was reminded from time to time of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia.  Perhaps the most striking similarity was Paul's depiction of Kale's perception of and relationship with Paladin.  Like the characters of Narnia relating to Aslan, Kale finds herself both in awe of and in love with Paladin.  She longs to be close to Him, but finds Him difficult to access at times.  Others crowd around Paladin.  He comes and goes at His will, not hers, often leaving her questions unanswered.  As she stands on the brink of danger, she longs for Paladin's arrival, wondering a little angrily why He doesn't save the day with a word from His mouth.  She knows that He is good, faithful, and mighty.  Still, she struggles with what she perceives as distance or inaction on Paladin's part.

I thought first of Aslan and almost accused Paul (lightly, of course, given my immense enjoyment of her book) of wonderfully pleasant mimicry of the great Lewis.  But she hasn't mimicked Lewis.  She has described, like Lewis before her, a reality of the Christian life.  Sometimes Jesus, whom we have been told is always with us, seems a million miles and a thousand years away.  Sometimes Jesus is so close we feel we could reach out and touch Him...  but for some inexplicable reason, we just can't get close enough to Him.  Sometimes Jesus leaves our questions unanswered.  Sometimes He doesn't show up when we think He should.  Sometimes we, like Kale and Lewis's characters, just don't get why our Lord behaves as He does.

Donita K. Paul explores these complexities of our faith with brutal honesty and amazing grace.  Her understanding of God's patience and His ways among men and women encourage a wondering soul (but I won't spoil the book for you by giving you any details.  You'll have to read it yourself!).  As Kale's questions are answered (or unanswered) and her faith is strengthened, Paul's readers may find hope and encouragement for the moments of doubt and uncertainty that accompany faith in Christ.  Like Paladin, Christ has not left us, He sees all things, and He works in ways unseen to bring about our best and His glory - all in His perfect time.

What was meant to be a post on a common challenge of the Christian life is turning into another book recommendation.  I do unreservedly encourage you to read DragonSpell, but more importantly I encourage you to believe.  Believe what God has said of Himself, despite unanswered questions, despite unrelenting fears, despite all that rises to squash your faith in the omnipotent One who has promised never to forsake you.  Returning to Lewis, who said, “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods,” I encourage you not to lose heart when circumstances look bleak, when Jesus seems inaccessible, when doubts assail your soul.  He who promised is faithful.  I also encourage you not to beat yourself up over this struggle of the faith.  It is far more common than you might think.  God knows our weakness and doubt.  He knows us best and loves us still.

In closing, a beautifully honest song on the subject, Compliments of Rich Mullins and Phil Stacy