Brene Brown on Church as Midwife

Given that we are closing in on the climax and conclusion of Lent and, additionally, that in this morning’s devotion we looked at Jesus’ cry of dereliction, I found this meditation on the relationship between faith, doubt, and struggle by Brené Brown both interesting and helpful. Referencing the spiritual awakening (slash, mental breakdown) she described in her breakthrough TED Talk, Brené confides that she went to church to find comfort. Instead, she found challenge. “Church wasn’t an epidural, it was a midwife. It just stood next to me and said ‘Push, it’s supposed to hurt a bit.’” (One of the more quotable quotes I’ve heard in a long, long time.)

Should we expect anything else from a church that follows a Messiah that hungered, wept, and cried out in despair? Life is hard, and faith doesn’t help us escape that; rather, it helps us deal with it.

Another great thought: “God is love” is a solution if you think love is about hearts and bows and unicorns. But “God is love” takes on a whole new meaning when you realize love is hard, love is struggle, love is persevering through hardship.

Christian faith, as it turns out, is about vulnerability, because the only way to new life is through death. Faith, in other words, isn’t for sissies.

There’s a lot more to this wonderful six-minute video produced by our friends at The Work of the People. I’ve posted it before, but think it got moved and is no longer available at the former address, so I’m putting it below again.

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