Glance, Glare, or Gaze: How Do You See The World Around You?

In our latest episode of Coffee Pods, we delve into the profound concept of Healing Hubs and their role in helping people find balance in their lives. These sacred spaces serve as connectors, plugging people back into their relationship with God when they feel disconnected or out of kilter. Healing Hubs aren't just for those seeking physical healing from ailments like cancer or high blood pressure; they also provide emotional and spiritual restoration for those carrying trauma or distress. The beauty of these spaces lies in their non-prescriptive nature – they don't dictate outcomes but rather facilitate connections that allow individuals to rediscover their own path forward.

We explored the important distinction between healing and curing, a nuance that often gets lost in contemporary discussions. While cures may or may not come during our lifetime, healing and wholeness are always available. The Hebrew word "shellamute" captures this perfectly, describing a state of being complete and perfect. This wholeness isn't about having a comfortable life; it's about restoration to our original design. As Kris beautifully illustrated, we are all created in the Imago Dei (image of God), and our life's journey involves returning to this state of perfection. The challenges, traumas, and hardships we face create distance from this original design, but healing practices help us reconnect with our true essence.

The silversmith metaphor was particularly powerful – just as a silversmith melts silver, scrapes away impurities, and knows the silver is pure when it reflects the silversmith's own image, so too does God work to purify us until we reflect divine goodness. This process isn't always comfortable; it often involves "bubbling up" tensions, pressures, and stresses so they can be addressed and released. The scandals and hurts that have emerged from Christian organizations were likened to dirt thrown on a mirror, diminishing the reflection of God that should be visible through these institutions. These painful realities break God's heart and can make it difficult for people to trust in faith-based organizations, yet they also remind us of our continuing need for restoration.

Richard Rohr's concept of the "three G's" – glance, glare, and gaze – offers a transformative way to approach life and healing. When we merely glance at the world around us, we miss the rich details and divine presence permeating everyday moments. Glaring brings judgment and criticism, a posture that separates rather than connects. But gazing – taking time to deeply observe and appreciate the world with anticipation and wonder – allows us to notice God's presence in unexpected places. This posture of attentive presence opens us to healing encounters that might otherwise be missed, like a stranger offering birthday wishes that turns into a meaningful connection, or a dog walk that creates space for someone to share their grief.

The episode concludes with reflections on how simple practices like walking, noticing nature, and being present to others can become powerful avenues for experiencing God's goodness. These everyday moments of connection and awareness can gradually restore our balance and help us reflect more clearly the divine image within us. Through healing hubs, spiritual practices, and attentive living, we can move closer to the wholeness that is our birthright – not just a temporary fix, but a return to the perfect design that was ours from the beginning.

Listen to the full podcast here.