Faith in the Dark
Every religion has its fair-weather practitioners, and Asatru is no exception- especially in the Wolf Age.
All of us have seen it: a pious and devout member of the AFA, attending every event and donating their time or hard-earned money to every cause, suddenly goes through a hard time. Perhaps they lost a parent or a pregnancy, a job or a car, or are simply not feeling that connection to the Folk that they used to take such pride in. They go through any of these tribulations, and slowly drift away from the Folk and, ultimately, away from the Æsir. They often decide to leave the AFA, and they often say it's just "for a little while", but many do not return. They allow their struggles to outweigh their reverence for the Æsir, and so return to the atheistic malaise that is life without Asatru.
This problem is one that must ultimately be confronted by whoever is going through these trials, but the rest of us CAN help get their mind in the right place. We can remind them that their AFA family is here for them no matter what, that the Æsir exist no matter what, and that their ancestors care for them no matter what.
As you read this, think back to your grandparents or even your parents. Many times, when they faced hardship, they kept their faith in a foreign god and a foreign church. They took strength from that community, and the promises of that foreign god. If they can take strength from that, we should all be able to take so much more strength and comfort from OUR Gods and OUR church.
Now, think even farther back, beyond the desert faith's hold over the Folk. Imagine the Norse, or the Saxons, or the Rus, or whichever Aryan tribe your blood comes from. Even in the darkest of winters, in the bloodiest of battles, they kept their troth with the Æsir. It sounds so simple, but believe me when I say that it takes real strength and devotion. Not only did they keep their own loyalty to our Gods, they kept their kinsmen's loyalty strong, as well. They would not allow their kin-fence to suffer a withered post.
As was the case with our forebears, both Asatru and Christian, we must learn to keep our faith strong in the face of adversity! The Æsir have blessed us so abundantly, and it is only right that we maintain that troth even in the darkest of days.
If you ever find yourself struggling with this, or with anything, email your Gothar at gothar@runestone.org, because we are here for you and your family.
Gothi Trent East
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