I've left a year of pause, of quiet, of this weird in between where I've
journeyed. I feel like there are portions of my life where I sit back and watch
how things unfold, this slow releasing of the path in front of me, the looking
of all directions before each step, seasons of pausing and seeing what each
thing will take before making decisions. And then there are other portions of
my life where I'm tripping over my own feet, rushing head first into an unknown
without cause or care and just taking a whim on chances.
One of these is a calmer, introspective, maybe laid back approach. The other
is adventurous, exciting, maybe more productive.
I'm not sure which I prefer, or which draws me more, it's the dichotomy of my
personality. I love both and hate both. I see the other and want the calmness
of pause, or the excitement of rashness.
But this year of pause, I've learned to lean into Jesus. I've learned that
He is my truth and my guide. My reason and purpose. He's brought me through and
taught me the importance of treating myself like I treat others. With much
grace and much love. I've learned to forgive myself for things that I'd so
quickly forgive others for, but rarely would allow myself the peace.
In January I was asked what I thought my purpose was, I had lost track of
that in the swirl and shadows of the last half of 2015 and even the rush and
tripping of the previous two or so years.
The question challenged me to my core. I had an answer. It was an old answer
that I had cultivated pre-motherhood, pre-Illinois life. But I realized that
maybe that answer wasn't the answer anymore. I'd strayed so much from my
vision of what I thought God expected from me. I took inventory of me, my
ministries, my relationships, and realized that I'd floated along. I wasn't
sure what my next step was. God had closed so many doors.
Such started a journey that was unexpected, and as we are often surprised
by, much sweeter and also harder than we think it might be.
God started stripping. Literally, stripping things away from me. He took so
many figurative and physical things from me that at first I clung to with
stubborn tenacity, and then deep hurt. But then came the sweetness. The alone
times with Jesus where he showed me and opened my eyes to the community that
starts with Him and flows out to others.
I was studying John 2 this week. And was drawn to the portion of Jesus first
clearing out the Temple. A few things struck me in this as He went.
This was a public display. The temple was filled with Jews for Passover.
When Jesus turned the tables of the coin exchangers He was making a very public
display of the corruption He found going on around Him. He didn’t quietly ask
them to pack up and leave. He was public and brave in His turning things
around.
When questioned about His authority to do such a thing. He claims His power
to overcome and how once the “temple” (Himself) is destroyed He will be raised.
Often times God needs to destroy something to rebuild it better. Just as we
break down muscles at the gym in order to have them heal stronger in rest,
sometime our very lives or ideals or bodies need to be broken in order to come
back and be better and stronger and to fulfill the purposes of God.
Lastly, the thing that struck me the most is that not even the disciples understand Jesus' reference at the time. Verse 22 says, "22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken." It takes the realization of the Resurrection for even those closest to Jesus to understand what He is talking about. Sometimes God asks, or takes, or gives us things that we don't understand. But just like the promises that the Resurrection holds of grace and salvation, God promises that these things will all work together for His glory and good. (Romans 8:28) We may not understand everything all at once. We may not understand how something that seems terrible can even be moved around to be good, but that's where faith comes in. I'm choosing in my faith to believe the Bible and see where God has me go.
The verse I fall back on time and again is Isaiah 43:18-19
18 “Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
19 “Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
It makes me excited for the new things. Excited to see how God will use me when I choose to serve Him.
