Build it on The Rock
Pastor's Update #23
Waiting has always been a challenging experience for me. I vividly remember that sinking feeling in my stomach every time I waited for something that never came. In my teenage years, Metallica’s “The Outlaw Torn” resonated so well with me because it gave vocabulary to an emotion I didn’t have access to at that point in my life.
Hetfield’s dark voice followed the melancholic riff with a simple melody:
“And now I wait my whole lifetime for you.”
The melancholy then turned to rage as the music swelled, and in its climactic moment, Hetfield sang:
“and if I close my mind in fear
Please, pry it open
(See me) and if my face becomes sincere
Beware
and when I start to come undone
Stitch me together
(Save me) and when you see me strut
Remind me of what left this outlaw torn
During the mid-90s, Metallica's heavy music and profound lyrics, including those from songs like "The Unforgiven" sequel and "Bleeding Me," were the soundtrack of my life. At the same time, I also listened attentively to the Armenian singer/songwriter Arther Meschian. Two of Meschian’s songs deeply impacted me. "Days" (Orer- Օրեր) starts with a nihilistic attitude towards the meaninglessness of life but then shifts to hope when love is present. The second song, "Coincidences" (Hamengnoumner- Համընկնումներ), despite touching on dark themes, carries a line that resonated with me: "եւ օրերը տագնապալից ընծաներով իրենց բերած" meaning "the troublesome days and the gifts that they bring." This line helped me tolerate the painful experience of waiting in times of uncertainty.
Over the years, my attitude towards waiting has shifted from dread and irritability to hopefulness—without resorting to magical thinking that everything will be okay. However, the underlying fear of uncertainty persists at times.
These days, I am grappling with intense emotions as I anxiously await news of a potential truce in Lebanon to halt the escalation and prevent the loss of innocent lives.
I am also aware of many people, including friends and parishioners, who are going through agonizing experiences as they wait for prayers to be answered, for healing, for life changes, and for painful feelings of uncertainty, loss, and suffering to go away.
Waiting often feels passive and uncomfortable. It can bring about anxiety, doubt, and impatience. I remember reading the headline of an article titled "Life Is What Happens When You're Waiting For The Things That Never Come." It made me think that waiting can put us in a mindless and frozen state and give the impression that we are wasting our precious time without getting any tangible results. However, if we apply mindfulness, we see that the dreadful waiting time can become a transformative experience in our lives because it can build our character, prepare us for much more significant challenges in life, and teach us to rely on God.
It's important to remember that our Christian faith doesn't promise that if we believe and pray to God, God will give us a good life and save us from harm's way. That's a childish belief. It's also important to know that God doesn't punish us for our past mistakes when bad things come our way. Our faith teaches us that we live in a broken world where sin is real and bad things can happen to all of us. It's not a punishment nor a sign of failed prayers. We also learn that we are not alone in the midst of painful experiences and that God is with us.
Jesus tells a story about two builders: one who built his house on rock and another on sand. When the storm came, the second builder’s house was destroyed, while the first’s remained intact because it was built on rock. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24), concludes Jesus.
We may not be able to control the storms that life throws our way, but we are definitely in charge of how our inner castle is built.
I invite you to build it on The Rock.
Prayerfully,
Hetfield’s dark voice followed the melancholic riff with a simple melody:
“And now I wait my whole lifetime for you.”
The melancholy then turned to rage as the music swelled, and in its climactic moment, Hetfield sang:
“and if I close my mind in fear
Please, pry it open
(See me) and if my face becomes sincere
Beware
and when I start to come undone
Stitch me together
(Save me) and when you see me strut
Remind me of what left this outlaw torn
During the mid-90s, Metallica's heavy music and profound lyrics, including those from songs like "The Unforgiven" sequel and "Bleeding Me," were the soundtrack of my life. At the same time, I also listened attentively to the Armenian singer/songwriter Arther Meschian. Two of Meschian’s songs deeply impacted me. "Days" (Orer- Օրեր) starts with a nihilistic attitude towards the meaninglessness of life but then shifts to hope when love is present. The second song, "Coincidences" (Hamengnoumner- Համընկնումներ), despite touching on dark themes, carries a line that resonated with me: "եւ օրերը տագնապալից ընծաներով իրենց բերած" meaning "the troublesome days and the gifts that they bring." This line helped me tolerate the painful experience of waiting in times of uncertainty.
Over the years, my attitude towards waiting has shifted from dread and irritability to hopefulness—without resorting to magical thinking that everything will be okay. However, the underlying fear of uncertainty persists at times.
These days, I am grappling with intense emotions as I anxiously await news of a potential truce in Lebanon to halt the escalation and prevent the loss of innocent lives.
I am also aware of many people, including friends and parishioners, who are going through agonizing experiences as they wait for prayers to be answered, for healing, for life changes, and for painful feelings of uncertainty, loss, and suffering to go away.
Waiting often feels passive and uncomfortable. It can bring about anxiety, doubt, and impatience. I remember reading the headline of an article titled "Life Is What Happens When You're Waiting For The Things That Never Come." It made me think that waiting can put us in a mindless and frozen state and give the impression that we are wasting our precious time without getting any tangible results. However, if we apply mindfulness, we see that the dreadful waiting time can become a transformative experience in our lives because it can build our character, prepare us for much more significant challenges in life, and teach us to rely on God.
It's important to remember that our Christian faith doesn't promise that if we believe and pray to God, God will give us a good life and save us from harm's way. That's a childish belief. It's also important to know that God doesn't punish us for our past mistakes when bad things come our way. Our faith teaches us that we live in a broken world where sin is real and bad things can happen to all of us. It's not a punishment nor a sign of failed prayers. We also learn that we are not alone in the midst of painful experiences and that God is with us.
Jesus tells a story about two builders: one who built his house on rock and another on sand. When the storm came, the second builder’s house was destroyed, while the first’s remained intact because it was built on rock. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24), concludes Jesus.
We may not be able to control the storms that life throws our way, but we are definitely in charge of how our inner castle is built.
I invite you to build it on The Rock.
Prayerfully,
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