I know the title is shocking, perhaps, but my intention is far from profanity.
The word “hell” was on the lips of Jesus Himself, a few times in scripture. Technically, it was another word in Aramaic that came to us translated as such.
I seem to be regularly moving through a number of ongoing difficult and hellish situations.
No day is one-hundred percent difficult, or one-hundred percent of anything. As CS Lewis noted, something along the lines of “we never getting the full impact of anything in-and-of-itself.” (paraphrased) Meaning, we may put some name on many terrible and many wonderful things as though they were some monolithic and singular thing, but really, most things we name are full of all manner of ups and downs. He points out that the thing itself is just a name for something that actually consists of the entirety of what the thing involves which is a number of ups and downs, dim and bright spots.
I have referred to this quotation so often in my writings that this time, I paraphrased it and will footnote his actual words at the end, from his book, “A Grief Observed.”1
People use the word “hell” in a number of ways.
There is the profane way contained in various linguistic expressions.
There is the naming of some place or condition of eternal torment that exists after death – some nature of judgement as accountability for life lived on earth – and theologians like to argue whether it is eternal conscious torment or simply eternal annihilation. Meaning, the judged soul ceases to even know they ever existed; and this is argued, by some, as a form of God’s mercy.
It’s all quite a lot.
And then, there are the forms of “hell” that exist on earth, or in situations, or as flaming darts that pierce even the Jesus-follower’s own soul as they experience the wounds of this world and things that are far from the Shalom intended in God’s good creation.
I suppose every person’s hell or every particular assault of the evil one upon us (whether in body, spirit, mind or soul) can be quite particular. While I would never speculate just how it is done (as CS Lewis ventures in his book The Screwtape Letters) scriptures do say there are schemes of the devil. While many things are simply natural phenomenon, it seems that there is a timing involved in some things that seems to deliver the intended “whammy” in some manner that seems beyond mere coincidence.
Often these things trigger our emotions and especially our sense of fear, or anger. Basic fear underlies anxieties of all sorts. It is good to remember to cast our cares upon God because He cares for us.
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Divorces are not only deaths, but they are very real forms of hellishness that morphs in various ways before, during and after the event and the damaging effects on both the divorced people and their children are generally lifelong. Though I do believe, with careful and prayerful navigation, there is always hope of mitigating these damages.
But, it is difficult.
There are an endless array of things that come into our lives that are forms of hell – far too many to name.
When we see things in the world that are very wrong, or experience things personally that just aren’t right, these are forms of hell seeking to inflict damage.
Jesus said that the devil is a thief that seeks to kill and destroy, but that He came that we might have life and have it abundantly.2
When we come up against negative situations we cannot alter or have no alternative but to deal with, that too, may be a form of hell.
This morning I started my day thinking, and sipping coffee, as is typical in my grounding routine of sorts. I eventually was reading some things I wrote awhile back and saw I had referenced the hymn, “He Leadeth Me.”
So then, it felt right that I selected that song to listen to first this morning, and for awhile had it on loop. This is something I often do at times when a song somehow connects and moves me in various ways and I want to absorb it more deeply.
Often it is a spiritually-based song, but, not always.
One day about a year ago I recall listening to the “Swallowtail Jig” on loop all day long! It was fun and upbeat in a way that seemed to serve as a wonderful background track for a day of heavily accomplished tasks.
I find music so empowering, comforting and indispensable.
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While my day started with what I would call a few bumps, during a two-hour time period later in the afternoon, I was hit with a series of about three significant things. And I am grateful for a couple of friends who gave a listening ear and a few words of various sorts.
For me, the things that took place in that two-hour span prompted both anger, and then, fear.
By early evening I was really struggling, and trying to resume final work on a painting.
I decided to put on one of my go-to indie-bluegrass artists and after a few tracks, one of my favorites of hers came on and I found myself suddenly and literally responding in dance, right in front of my painting table! At that moment, I really sensed I was being prayed for by at least one of these friends since she had sent me a message I was thinking about minutes before this experience.
Battles are ongoing, but this moment of breaking through in physical movement and connection with this interestingly-formed musical expression truly empowered my thoughts in other directions and opened my understanding a bit, perhaps, regarding the particulars of my day.
Sometimes it is the timing of things that help us discern both the ultimate, demonic sources of some of our afflictions, but also and most importantly, God’s presence within our thoughts and otherwise.
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Only Time to Pray
(by Mary James…online lyrics not available to copy and paste; I transcribed as best I can)
Hell came calling this morning
After he rose at dawn for the day
My heart skipped a beat when fear took a seat and I knew that it meant to stay
I dreaded any more callers
My heart had turned cold and numb
I was no stranger to this danger
No surely more would come
There was no time to fall
No time to run away
No time to walk tall
No time at all
There was only time to pray
With the weight of the world on my shoulders
Somehow I knew what to do
Though all (__hosts?__) of hell come to my house to dwell
They leave when they find me with you
They leave when they find me with you, Oh Lord
They leave when they find me with You
I’m asking you please
My heart from my knees
Oh let them find me with You
Hell came calling this morning
After he rose at dawn for the day
There was time to cry
No time to ask why
There was only time to pray
There was no time to fall
No time to run away
No time to walk tall
No time at all
There was only time to pray
No time to walk tall
No time at all
There was only time to pray
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1John 10 – the devil is a thief
Thank You For Reading
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