When you've got nothing left to hold onto...that's when love comes down.
~ Kerrie Roberts
What would life look like if we didn't try so hard to be comfortable and 'happy' and secure?
At first thought, why would we want to not feel comfortable, happy and secure?
Those things feel good. They're like a warm blanket on a cold night. They're like a hug that holds you together from completely going to pieces.
What if our outlook on these things was that:
· they only come from an intimate relationship with God,
· and living through, and like Christ;
· and that instead of constantly trying to find comfort/happiness/security in worldly things, we left room for desperation?
Desperation for Him. A NEED for Him.
I interviewed a Reverend recently who spoke of the faith of someone without. A homeless person. They are in constant desperation for a place to sleep, food, clothing - basic needs, and they rely on God to provide these things every hour of every day. Need.
That's a foreign concept to many of us.
SAYING you can only have comfort and security and peace through Christ and depending on God for everything is one thing, living it is another. Really. It is. I am tired of knowing these answers, and not what they LOOK LIKE IN LIFE.
This life offers too many other things to fleetingly fill those needs.
Why did it take me so long to realize this? I'm likely at least halfway through my life, if not further along, and many characteristics and habits and ways of doing life are deeply rooted.
So, now it's a battle. A daily battle against everything inside of me, against my heart, against my mind, and against what my flesh wants to do and say and think and feel. It's like quitting an addiction. There's nothing we can do to quit. Other than die to ourselves every day.
People say that a lot. I need to die to myself every day. But what does that look like? What does that entail? That's another post.
What if we are supposed to be living in uncomfortableness?
When I am banging on God's door, begging Him to help me, begging Him to hold me, to protect me, to lift me out of a pit – when I am in need of Him and I draw very closely to Him – I am not comfortable. I am desperate.
So what am I doing in between? What makes life seem good/okay in between? Whatever it is – life piped full of fluffy false comforts – it makes life's promised tragedies, trials, and tribulations hurt so much more.
But what if we lived in uncomfortableness?
How can I stay in need of Him? Desperate for Him?
I know that I cannot right now. I have a full-time job, two freelance writing jobs (what I love), healthy family (praise God), married to a wonderful man, two beautiful, smart kids; great church, wonderful and transparent Life Group and friends, car that's paid for, roof over our heads, food on the table...where is the desperation in that?!?!?!?
Questions: What's wrong with that? Isn't it okay to be blessed? But again, where's the desperation?
In Romans Chapter 11 it speaks about Our blessings and bounty becoming a snare, a trap, a stumbling block and retribution.
But do we stumble beyond recovery? No.
Maybe others don't need desperation to walk hand-in-hand, but I do!
And so, is it crazy to contemplate giving up things that give us security to make room for desperation?
And, how do we teach this to our children now, without instilling fear and sadness?
Feedback solicited.
Feedback solicited.
This ache, this longing, this heart that I've been searching, this moment while I'm praying, show me. You're plan, your promise, a pain that has a purpose, I let you in to use it; just like your hands built heavens arms, you're making me so beautiful. ~ Kerrie Roberts
Romans 11:7-10
New Living Translation (NLT)
7 So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. 8 As the Scriptures say,
“God has put them into a deep sleep.
To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see,
and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[a]
To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see,
and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[a]
9 Likewise, David said,
“Let their bountiful table become a snare,
a trap that makes them think all is well.
Let their blessings cause them to stumble,
and let them get what they deserve.
10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
and let their backs be bent forever.”[b]
a trap that makes them think all is well.
Let their blessings cause them to stumble,
and let them get what they deserve.
10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
and let their backs be bent forever.”[b]
