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perspective
I’ve been wrestling lately with what specifically I’d like to write/blog about. Have you ever had one of those seasons, days, weeks where there were so many things going on around you that you felt like you just needed to sit down and somehow try to capture those moments on paper or in your mind? This past week has been one of those for me…
Erwin McManus shares some great insight on times like this in his book, Chasing Daylight. He discusses how life is constantly in motion, made up the moments that come our way and what we do with those moments. For some, we love to take photographs, capture moments, relive experiences. However, photographs are simply still-shots of a life, an event in motion. And you can’t stay there…which for some of us is somewhat a depressing thought.Yet, I truly believe there’s a deep need in our lives - not to relive moments, finding yourself stuck in your past - but to capture, to seize the full weight of moments that come along in our lives. Our word Moment comes from the Greek word atomos, which is also where we get our English words atom and atomic. The details and weight of moments. Think about that…
In Judges 6:14, God tells Gideon, Go in the strength that you have…and honestly, some days that’s all you can do, right? Lately, I’ve been struggling to find strength, to feel strong as a man, a husband, a father, a friend, a pastor. I’ve been crying out to God for strength, and most days just for sufficient strength for the day. During this time, I’ve kept this verse near me, daily, that reminds me where real, lasting strength comes from - Nehemiah 8:10: …This is a sacred day…for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Joy. Strength. There’s a connection.
So, this week has been full of some rich moments for me, moments where had I not sat down for an hour or so a few mornings ago to write them down, would have easily passed through my memory. Moments which have contained so much atomic energy, that by capturing them, I suddenly feel new strength for the journey ahead.
I wanted to share just a few of these moments from my journal this week, joyous moments that have served to breathe fresh life into my heart…
- …a smooth, better-than-expected transition for Molly, Julia and I last week as Molly returned to work and the great care that Julia has during the day with family and friends who are keeping her
- …an unexpected financial gift this week that came at just the right time for us
- …my mother-in-law returning home after fighting through some recent health difficulties
…the engagement of two of our good friends this past weekend, our privilege of being part of their lives and part of the event, and the honor of being asked to officiate their wedding at the end of the year - …conversations with students on the Guilford College Campus last week and new relationships God has given me there
- …a conversation with my friend Kate - also at Guilford - and for a great new friendship with her
- …time with my dad and my family last week
- …an invitation to be trained this year in helping people discover their strengths and their true potential
- …work of the Holy Spirit in our church community as we seem to be turning some corners and the hope of what’s ahead as we lean forward
When I look over these moments, it’s not that they’re much different than other moments we experience from any given week. The difference is perspective - how we’re seeing the things around us. One of the words I’d use to describe the Greek translation for Glory (doxa or dokeo) is perspective, or to think. And what I think is that life is filled with moments where we find strength - long-lasting strength or sufficient strength - when we discover the presence of God and the joy that awaits us in the moments of a day.
a healing community
What fears are gripping your heart today? Have you ever found yourself ‘running to the hills’ (so to speak), or even pulling away into isolation out of a fear of hurt or rejection from people? Think for a moment about the fears that were gripping the heart of Jesus prior to His suffering on the cross. The fear of torment, accusations, mocking, ridicule…and ultimately rejection; enough to make any of us desire to run. Yet, Jesus faced his fears, and as Scripture tells us, out of the joy that would come of it, He gave Himself away and endured the cross.
Have you ever loved, only to be rejected? Have you ever given, only to be unappreciated? You’re not alone. God knows all about this. I think it’s amazing to consider how even the greatest of love and generosity toward us – expressed in God’s Presence with us through Jesus, and our rescue found in His cross – can be returned with such cruel rejection. Yet, that’s the risk Jesus took, giving us the choice to love Him or reject Him. That’s essentially the risk we all take when it comes to loving and giving in life. Our tendency, when it comes to giving ourselves away in love, is to play it safe, minimize the risk, only go after the battles we’re sure to win, avoiding rejection, and perhaps even people, in the process.
Have you ever thought that your journey with God would find it’s greatest fulfillment if you could only remove the obstacles of people? If you’ve ever had your heart wounded through the rejection of others, you may find yourself tempted to pull away from not only those who have hurt you, but from people in general. I’ve found myself here, and I’ve found myself empty in that place. You see, I think we find ourselves in an extremely dangerous place when we pull away from people, specifically meaningful, authentic relationships where we’re walking with others, learning more about ourselves and what it means to follow the Way of Jesus. Perhaps that’s what’s so dangerous about referring to church as ‘community;’ it involves giving yourself away to others, and sometimes that’s a risk we’re unwilling to take.
A part of the challenge in the journey with God is to never give up on people, because the journey is lived out in the context of relationships. And if we’re ever to find healing from the wounds of rejection, it will only be found when we give ourselves away to a higher purpose than ourselves. Simply put, we get better when we give ourselves away.
Jesus’ joy was knowing that His suffering would bring us life. And by giving Himself away, He has shown us that wholeness and completeness of heart in life is only found when we do the same…and that begins in the context of relationships and ‘community.’
What are your fears when it comes to ‘community?’ Face them, and discover the joy of Jesus in giving yourself away!
home
“They ate till they had more than enough, for He had given them what they craved.” -Psalm 78:29I’ve been so encouraged recently to watch relationships with people in our church community continue to grow and deepen. Last Tuesday evening at our monthly dinner party, the atmosphere seemed to feel a lot like home – where people were laughing, eating and sharing stories together; a place where each person is accepted just as they are and where their words matter. I get excited when I see things like this because I truly believe that finding and experiencing such relationships and community in life is like coming home to a place our hearts are always in desperate search of.
When we set out on this journey several months ago, I can’t tell you how many times I was warned about the difficulties we would face when it came to carrying out our vision…one that emphasizes relationships over programs; one that is driven not by doing church, but by being church. And as we continue to build and deepen our relationships with one another, I see our love growing as we continue to move toward our mission to extend the life and love of Christ to our surrounding community.
So what’s the problem with carrying-out such a vision?
Relationships can be messy sometimes, can’t they? In fact, when it comes to offering a relationship to someone (one that includes your heart and your love), we can easily find ourselves in a dangerous place. Why? As the famous song so appropriately puts it:
Love hurts, love scars, Love wounds, and mars any heart. Not tough or strong enough to take a lot of pain, take a lot of pain. Love is like a cloud, holds a lot of rain. Love hurts……ooh, ooh love hurts
Once you open yourself to a new relationship, you not only add the opportunity for things like authenticity, honesty, depth, acceptance and love; you also add the opportunity for hurt and betrayal. That’s the danger we face in relationships, in becoming a relational community…and maybe that’s why we sometimes find ourselves running from such things. But to run from something your heart craves (because God created us with a relational-need, to Him and to others) is maddening. It’s simply a risk we MUST take to survive and find satisfaction and fulfillment in life.
Discussing this issue with our Core Team Sunday stirred my heart to keep standing for something I passionately believe in…that relationships are what matter most to God, and though they can be dangerous and difficult to manage at times, there’s nothing our hearts need more than a place where we find ourselves unafraid, where we belong, where we can rest and feel the warmth of the love of God through the love of others.
May Awaken be such a place, where we find home in the unchanging love of God, in the fellowship of walking with Jesus and with friends, and in giving ourselves away freely to our neighbors and God’s mission to bring every heart home to Him.
Chris Shelton resides in Greensboro with his wife, Molly, their daughter, Julia, and Baby #2 due in March...
