Resolving the Real and Ideal

We live in dark times. The hatred and anger of many people is combining to create an oppressive atmosphere. It might seem like a justification of all the disillusioned narratives of suspense and fear. However, fear sucks away power and anger pushes people away.

I love the final refrain in Lego Movie 2: The Second Part where Lucy sings,

“Everything's not awesome

But that doesn't mean that it's hopeless and bleak

Everything's not awesome

But in my heart, I believe” (source)

After the characters become disillusioned, they stop working together and their culture becomes saturated with suspense and fear. They discover a way back to the power of faith despite the less-than-perfect circumstances.

This also happens to Elijah. He is discouraged. He says, “Lord, they have killed the prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.” (Romans 11:3-4) Everything was not awesome in Elijah’s world. Yet, God showed him a way back to faith.

In another example, Paul reflects on the fall of Israel from it’s preferential place in God’s hand. And yet, God uses their fall to offer salvation to all the “Gentiles.” He says, “Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles.” (Romans 11:11) Not even God was disillusioned when his chosen people wandered. He is just in rewarding evil but he sees beyond the immediate circumstances to the blessings that come from opposition.

I love this great scripture about opposition: “For it must needs be that there is an opposition in all things…wherefore all things must needs be a compound in one.” (2 Ne 2:11) To me that implies that faith is stronger when their is cause for disillusionment. Happiness and misery go together. You can’t feel happiness without a knowledge of the causes of misery.

In Preach My Gospel it says this about less-than-perfect circumstances, “You should not become discouraged; discouragement will weaken your faith. If you lower your expectations, your effectiveness will decrease, your desire will weaken, and you will have greater difficulty following the Spirit.” (p.11)

Lucy saw an imperfect world but she said, “in my heart, I believe.” She had more faith not when she lowered her expectations to meet the reality —but when she accepted the challenge to “try

To make everything awesome

In a less idealistic kind of way”

(But you can’t appreciate Lego Movie 2 without watching Lego Movie 1 where “everything IS awesome”)

Idealism is kind of like faith, but it is susceptible to being “popped” like a balloon. Real faith sees the bad and finds a way forward in spite of it. Resolving the disparity between the real and ideal is an important step in learning to love as described by John Townsend in his book “Hiding From Love.” God has already resolved that. We are here on earth to learn to do that ourselves and retain the power of faith.