Have you ever stood on the beach, with your bare feet planted in the water? The waves rush toward you, and then inexorably pull back away, while you stay put, watching the movement going on around you. You can feel the sand giving way underneath the sides of your feet, feel the water streaming away from your toes. Sometimes my life feels like that, the ebb and the flow. Sometimes life rushes at me, overwhelming me with all the beauty and intensity that it brings. And then there are times when I stand planted, and life rushes back past me. I see life taking place around me, but I'm rooted in one spot.
Have you ever been stuck in a rut before? You're living life and maybe even living it well, but you aren't living it deeply and bravely. You don't even realize that you're in a rut until something wakes you up and throws you off track. All it takes is a moment, a song, an experience, a conversation, a feeling, a prayer, a breaking point, a realization that you've been a little adrift . . . and a little fragile. Suddenly the patterns in your life seem small. You can't just fall back into the routine, because now you're awake and aware of yourself again.
I've had this awakening experience over and over in my life. I'm a creature of habit. I find a comfort zone and nestle into it, patting myself on the back for navigating the rough waters of life so safely. But I don't look back on the drifting moments of my life with clarity. I remember the times when I woke up and lived my life; scary, complicated, glorious, ugly, frustrating, intense, loving, beautiful, and frenetic. Some of the best moments of my life were also nerve-wracking and complicated . . . but I lived them.
God doesn't want me to live a lukewarm, safe, complacent life. He doesn't want me to stand in the waves of life and let experiences rush past me. I believe that He wants me to trust Him and leap. This isn't the first time He's had to wake me up and tell me so, and I imagine it won't be the last. Life can be an incredibly beautiful adventure when God is at your side.
I needed this reminder. Thank you, Darling. I love you.
ReplyDeleteI want more than just a good time . . .
ReplyDeleteMore than fine
More than bent on getting by . . .
More than just OK
The above is a great Switchfoot song that has always been this sort of reminder for me. I saw a picture of a little boy, 7 months old. The layer covering his bones could barely be called skin. I thought of Koen. It incenses me that any little boy would be that lacking in resources anywhere in the world.
That was my latest wake up call. I complain about the tightness of my finances and the tedious parts of my job, and spend a great deal of time being unhappy instead of doing something meaningful. I am a spoiled rotten brat. That picture kicked me into gear--people in this world are hurting and I want to make a difference, but if my good intentions are going to have any impact at all, I have to first be faithful in the little things.
I love that song, Brian! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it's good to know I'm not the only one that needs to be woken up at times:)
ReplyDeleteMelissa - Love you back!