This might seem odd but one of the things I don’t like is “progress.” As I am sure you know by now, if you have been following this blog for any length of time, I am fond of making provocative statements to help me, and perhaps others, look at things in a new way.
How could anyone not like progress? The thing is, I very much like the result of progress, I just don’t always like the process of progress. Progress is frequently too slow, too hard, too painful, or all of these for me. I want the fruit of progress but I don’t want to do the labour. I’m reasonably certain this does not make me unique.
This Sunday I was looking at a particular progression, namely, from Paul’s letter to the Romans. Paul writes “. . . suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, . . .” (Romans 5:3b-4 NRSV). If I don’t like the work involved in progressions you can imagine what I think about one that begins with suffering.
As always, let me know what you think of the sermon as you are able and inclined.
A “programming note”: there is only one sermon as the blizzard warning at the end of last week encouraged us to cancel in-person services for this Sunday so I only preached once.
Blessings,
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