Susan Smyth
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
DECONSTRUCTING MY NOTION OF GOD
I had to deconstruct my whole notion of God. In a less fear-based or compliance-based notion into a partner-based belief...God is in partnership with me and I am in partnership with God. There are the things that I have to do and then there is the part that God does. Every good thing that happens to me, I give God credit for. And when bad things happen to me, I say, ‘Random bad things happen.’ I’ve never had the experience of blaming God for the bad things that happen to me. I say, ‘Sometimes this happens.’
To me, it was really awful that my father died so young. But I don’t blame God for that. I say, ‘I hope medicine gets better and that nobody who’s 50 would go through that again. I don’t feel picked out or picked on. And I consider that a blessing. To me, either the cup is half-full or the cup is overflowing. If it’s a half-way good day, my cup is overflowing. And if it’s a bad day, my cup is half-full.
Daniel’s Reflection
Susan Smyth is one of my dearest friends and I’ve said that none of my friends have been left untouched by Portraits in Faith! While maybe it is less exotic to interview people in my own backyard versus in distant continents, these are the friends who loved me into a new existence, into a new Daniel.
Susan spent her career as an organizational development consultant and coach. Her wisdom has helped countless individuals and organizations heal and become more successful. And, yet, sometimes we are the doctor’s toughest patient when it comes to healing ourselves. I learned much from Susan about how to become a positive person, how to be grateful, and how to turn things over to the God of my understanding. I especially love how Susan gave up a fear-based understanding of God in favor of a partnership with God. This has helped me understand that my faith will not have me watch for a Divine Messenger to deliver a solution to all my problems but that I must work for the solution. It reminds me of the saying ‘if I’m not the problem, there is no solution.’
Thank you to my dear friend, Susan Smyth, for teaching me how I must be part of creating God’s presence in my life.
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