I loved fairytales when I was a kid. (I still do. Give me Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia any day and I’m a happy camper.) I loved getting lost in a make-believe world where anything was possible. In that world, the limitations of being a kid were of little consequence.
Have you ever gone to church before and thought, “I wish I could bottle this feeling up and take it home with me”? Whether it was the tangible presence of the Lord during the bridge of your favorite song, the insightful preaching of the biblical text, or the encouragement that comes from gathering together with other believers, we can often leave church with a tinge of sadness, knowing that such an experience comes only once every seven days.
When followers of Jesus come face to face with brokenness, what do we do? Maybe for you, brokenness stirs up feelings that you’re not quite sure what to do with or you don’t quite understand how to engage it.
Sometimes on Saturday mornings our bedroom door cracks open and I see the shadowy outline of tousled hair and an oversized t-shirt sneak into our room. This small visitor crawls quietly between me and my husband, as the early morning light peaks over the window sill. Everything is quiet.
Imagine if your deepest disappointments could be reframed to look like hope. “Any more questions?” my doctor asked me at the end of a routine check-up during my pregnancy with my second daughter. Tears welled up and began running down my cheeks. I knew this wasn’t the response he was expecting. Our lighthearted meeting suddenly turned serious.
There is a growing cultural phenomenon taking place in the Western Church at the moment. Over the past couple of decades, due to a wide variety of factors and influences, a new “rite of passage” has emerged within Christianity: deconstructing the faith we grew up with.
Disappointment isn’t always what it seems. What if your disappointment is an opportunity for a divine appointment? Could it be that God really does want to meet us right at the place our expectations meet reality? If you’re currently in the middle of such a crossroads, this sounds trite. Offensive even. I invite you to keep reading.
In 1997, Nike released Failure, a dramatized ad many consider to be one of the most inspirational of all time. It was the year Michael Jordan began his famous last season with the Chicago Bulls en route to a 6th NBA title and second 3-peat, adding merit to claims that he would be known as the greatest basketball player of all time.
The surprising story of “hurry up” in scripture is to hurry up and slow down. When you feel pressure to deliver, “get there on time”, get results, and win at life, remember the real message behind that pressure is an invitation to be with Jesus.
What’s Happening!
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