The beauty of Christianity is that it is a claim of weakness, of fallacy. It is an acknowledgement of imperfection and a glorious celebration of dependency and need. It is uncomfortable because it is flawed. Unlike everything else in this world, it doesn't strive to be strong, perfect, desirable, wanted. The beauty is in the broken and the weak and the hopeless.
It is a belief in something more gracious than we could ever know. Rather than looking for good soil in people and circumstances to dig our roots into, we know the best soil is already ours. After reading philosophy after philosophy about being - about life being born and walked into, about the self being a temple, about each decision being autonomous - it is a relief to find something firm.
It is a relief to finally realize that the light at the end of the tunnel is everywhere. It doesn't confine itself to our moments of despair; it is tethered to us. I love that it is not about ourselves. We are not constrained to popular belief or the newest trend about assurance, personal satisfaction or beauty coming from within. We are vessels - not restricted to a formulaic way of living because we have the greatest freedom. I love that in our greatest and deepest moment of weakness, we don't have to create a hope in ourselves. Not that I am strong enough to overcome this, but that my Savior is. He lives inside of me; I don't need to know and control and hold my past, future and present. It is not a battle of personal strength and ambition; it is a confession of weakness.
Above all, that this is for the most fallen of us. It is for those of us who couldn't muster the strength in us to get out of bed, put some clothes on, and face the day with certainty that it will be okay.
We are not competing with the world because there is no common ground on which to compete. In a world where the race is cut-throat and furious, we are running in the opposite direction, completely against the tide, but towards the sun.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Running Towards the Sun
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5 comments:
Admission of weakness is something extremely difficult. How often we pray for brokenness, but do we really mean it? I'm talking about that last shred of pride that prevents us from being wholly with God.
We're sold the idea of self-esteem. It's good to be proud of yourself and what you can do! May it never be. My prayer is to raise up my God-esteem.
...yeah that's what I thought.
Richard rbk(1,1).
We are not competinng with the world, or with others, therefore there should be no pride, just humility and understanding that God is the one who helps you finish this race.
Richard Chan rbk (1,1)
PS. i could be abslutely wrong please tell me.
I think the beauty of Christianity is the not really in the brokenness, weak and hopeless... more like the the willingness to be transparent, and the idea of being accepting of yourself as who you are.. and not trying to be someone who you arent.
Personally I have a weird struggle when it comes to self esteem. At home, with my family, i am strong and confident. But once it comes to talking to people i just feel so uncomfortable with myself.. and i am just so self conscious as to how people see me and what people think about me. this leads me to become wishy washy and i pretty much put myself lower than other people.
I feel that last wed's program was amazingly good because the person i had a nice chat with.. really helped me realize what i really need to change.. and just gave me a clear understanding of what i'm doing wrong thats making me feel so down and frustrated at myself all the time.
So i think we should have either another program for soultalk (maybe during retreat?!) in the near future.
-Jon rbk (1,1)
"We are vessels - not restricted to a formulaic way of living because we have the greatest freedom. I love that in our greatest and deepest moment of weakness, we don't have to create a hope in ourselves. Not that I am strong enough to overcome this, but that my Savior is."
That part spoke to me the most. After going through some crazy stuff in my lifetime I'm glad and... overwhelmed with joy enough to say that my Saviour overcame all that I couldn't - and this is why I am alive today.
- Jono (7,0)
"... it will be okay."
Soo many times we look at how bad we have it, or how unfairly we've been treated and we lose sight that because He overcame the world, so will we... that a better day has yet to come, and we will or better yet, it will be okay.
Really like this devo as it's a reminder of our today's society vs. our walk with Him. Thanks Howard and welcome.
- Brian Yee -> rbk(1,0)
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