Faith Story: Faith Like a River

By Shirley Durr

In Epworth’s 2021 Lenten Devotional, Hope in the Wilderness, the entry for February 25 was from “Along the Way: Fluid Formation” in Steve Harper’s blog Oboedire wherein the author compares faith to rivers that “meander” and “have seasonal cycles.” One of the questions after this entry asks, “Does your faith go in cycles – sometimes full and well nourished, sometimes too much to keep in, sometimes low or even empty? Where do you find meaning when your faith is running on empty?” This is how I answered.

I try to let my faith flow and meander, fluidly faithful, you might say. I’ve never thought the purpose of my faith or my life was to get to heaven, for example. Rather, I think my purpose, my goal in this life I have been given, is to help as much as I can to build God’s kin-dom – which some call heaven but I call the Beloved Community– here on earth.

Although I’m Methodist to the core, I’ve never wanted to contain my faith in one wineskin. My Methodism allows me to walk my own journey, not requiring that I stay on a prescribed path, not damning me for straying, and always assuring me of God’s grace. Nor do I rush to judge how others travel their faith journeys. As the quote for February 26 says, “Yours are the only shoes made to walk your journey” (Dr. Charles F. Glassman).

Looking back, I realize there have been many cycles in my faith – balanced and nourished, but also so overflowing I can't hold it in, and even at times empty to the precipice of despair. I might teeter there awhile but not surrender.

When I’m running on empty, I escape into song. I have a song list that puts me in a place where I can feel grace covering me and keeping from sinking into despair.

Below are some of the titles on that list (in alphabetical order by title). Maybe one or two can uplift or sustain you.

For the most part, they’re not songs you’ll find in church hymnals but they all speak faith and the meaning and purpose of life to me. The way I see it, you can’t contain church in a book nor a building.

No storm can shake my inmost calm

While to that rock I'm clinging.

Since love is lord of heaven and earth,

How can I keep from singing?

“My Life Flows On” by Augustus Montague Toplady

The Faith We Sing #2212

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