Do U2 Struggle With God's Will?

[spanisheyes]

Many discussions have gone on about U2's faith, U2's struggles, U2's complexities when it comes to religion and genuine Christianity. Bono himself even emphasized his own struggles and forthrightness on the "War'"album on the song 'Surrender' when he wrote...

Oh, the city's afire
A passionate flame
It knows me by name
Oh, the city's desire
To take me for more and more
It's in the street, getting under my feet
It's in the air, it's everywhere
My love for you
It's in the things I do and say
If I wanna live I gotta
Die to myself someday

Recently, he expressed again where the essense of his beliefs stood, and where he himself stood in relation to God when he wrote in the "Million Dollar Hotel" soundtrack on the song 'Falling At Your Feet'...

(All fall down) How to navigate
(All fall down) How to simply be
(All fall down) To know when to wait
(All fall down) This plain simplicity
(All fall down) In whom shall I trust
(All fall down) How might I be still
(All fall down) Teach me to surrender
(All fall down) Not my will, thy will

I'm in no position to judge Bono and the rest of U2's beliefs, but have in all honestly appreciated especially Bono's candor about what his faith means to him, and also the struggles he often endures as a man who finds his life to be that of contradictions.

What I'm getting at is that even though Bono has stated his strong beliefs and somewhat distain at the church, and how it has often, than not, failed to fulfill God's commission in this world, it appears that Bono seems to struggle more with God's will for his life, than the churches early will for U2 to be a Christian band in the sense of the word, or the atrocities that the church has been guilty of in the eyes of U2, and especially Bono.

And yet we all have this same struggle in our lives, at least I know I do. Sometimes, we can use the church, and the idea of "Look what those people did to me, or why can't they act more like the Bible tells us to act", as a smokescreen for a bigger problem. And that is, what are we to do with God's will, and the fact that we all struggle with doing things God's way, and according to what His Word says.

I love the fact that Bono has been open in willing to share these struggles in interviews, and in his lyrics. But at some point, Bono, and at some point, ourselves, have to ask the bigger question. Is God content with the current lifestyle I possess and live out in front of the world? Bono said it best, "If I ever want to live, I gotta die to myself someday"...what does that mean to you? More importantly, what was God intention in setting up this biblical aspect for all mankind?

"Teach me to surrender, not my will, Thy will"...Bono said a heartful when he sang these words, but I guess we should realize that sometimes it starts with a desire first, and Bono obviously has that, but I guess for me, at some point, desire has to turn to reality, and that I become aware of this truthful fact that God's way is better than my way, even though at times my way feels best...."it's in the things I do and say; if I ever wanna live, I gotta die to myself someday"...

Chris

 

[got2k9s]

Chris, an interesting point.
I think it is innate in us who desire to follow God's will to find it difficult at times. True surrender (ahem!) and submission is difficult when we sometimes don't know the "whys" or how it will turn out in the end. That is why God calls us to follow in faith. FAITH. Faith by definition is difficult, especially when it is in the seemingly intangible.
I think that dying to self is when we truly put aside our wants and needs as humans and our wants and needs are replaced with the desire for godliness and living with His Kingdom as our purpose - - to love others with the love of Christ but also to spread Christ's word. It's safe to "lose yourself" when you lose it to God. We don't become invisible. We become extraordinary, because of the sacrifice of Christ. Dying to self means replacing our selfishness with God's desire for our lives.
Just my .02
Jennifer

 

[Discoteque]

*always read SpanishEyes threads!*

Good question Chris! To me, it's obvious that Bono, for one, struggles mightily to do God's will. And probably more than anyone I've ever come across--in person or in the press--he's extremely open and raw in his feelings about that very struggle. He knows the Truth, and he also realizes the dichotomy of the life he's chosen for himself and his family, how public that makes him, and how misunderstood he can be over it. It's hard for any "mere human" to life their life on this earth with all its temptations and immorality (aka "fun" -- God knows how much I myself struggle), but my gosh....to be in SUCH a public forum as U2 and to be a Christian...your faith truly has to be ROCK SOLID to endure it all, I think. And surrendering yourself is SO hard...we're all so independent! I sure would love to pick Bono's or Edge's brain on this whole matter of their faith, just to hear it from their own mouths....

I also think about the women in U2's lives a LOT, about how much they've suffered and how much privacy they've given up, and have had their own lives picked apart somewhat. It boggles my mind. I COULD NOT do it, I know it. I can be extremely petty, jealous, covetous and all sorts of other things that could tear a relationship apart. Beautiful women throwing themselves at my husband? Hubbie getting nekkid (even semi-) around other women? Hubbie rolling around with other girls on stage? Nuh-uh. No way. Couldn't do it. I'm SURE the U2 women have had struggles, and perhaps it's made them more mature in their faith....I don't know. Would also love to talk to Ali and the gals!

So yeah...I'd say they struggle, who wouldn't? But I also think that for being smack in the middle of the secular temptations of the rock music industry, they really stand out as role models that say "it really CAN be done"!

 

[Bulow]

Everyone struggles with God's Will.

 

[Elvis Presley]

One thing I truly admire about Bono is his honesty....He admits to most of his faults openly. Sometimes in lyrics, other times in speech or interviews...I agree that everyone struggles with Gods will for thier lives.

What we all need to remember and accept is that we are all a mess under the surface in one way or the other. Its admitting that and sealing with it that makes us stronger. I think Bono is good at that...........

 

[cnelson]

Christian Band?

Heys guys,

Just reading your post briefly here. One thing that I'd like to add to the mix is that the church did not want U2 to become a "Christian Band," the church wanted U2 to give up their music. The actual church, Shalom fellowship (I think), was devided about this. It all started with one "prophet" saying that God wanted U2 to give up their music. Next thing you know half the church thinks they should and the other half thinks they should continue on with their music. U2 started to notice too that the church was trying to put other "rules" on them, religious stuff, that the church never tried before they were Christians to put on them. The book "Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2" has this stuff in it.