Friday, November 9, 2012
Romans 15:13
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The True "Safety Dance"
I've been fascinated by the concept and human disease of "loneliness".
It causes us, humans, to do so many things we would otherwise be so against.
I've seen it drive people to their darkest hour. Its driven me to mine.
It's existence is everywhere, even places we would never believe it to belong.
The kid in a large loving family. The married couple who seem to have it all. The one with an abundance of good, loving friends. But at the end of the day, we all drive home alone. Or fall asleep alone. Or... just simply feel alone. Its feeling alone in a crowded room.
Unsurprisingly our loneliness causes us to migrate towards and chase after human interaction, connection, and community.
But the strangest thing to me is the very solution we pursue for our loneliness (community, human interaction and intimacy) is the very thing that so often drives us back into hiding, into wanting to be alone with just ourselves again, or more specifically into wanting to be safe.
Few have the strength and fear to remain completely disconnected from others,
so lets not fool ourselves into believing we'll be able to hide away forever.
But what would healthy community look like?
How would we connect with people in ways that doesn't end in destruction?
Not all struggle or deal with loneliness in these ways, of course.
But for those of us to whom this sick little dance has become the story of our lives - whatever are we to do?
It causes us, humans, to do so many things we would otherwise be so against.
I've seen it drive people to their darkest hour. Its driven me to mine.
It's existence is everywhere, even places we would never believe it to belong.
The kid in a large loving family. The married couple who seem to have it all. The one with an abundance of good, loving friends. But at the end of the day, we all drive home alone. Or fall asleep alone. Or... just simply feel alone. Its feeling alone in a crowded room.
Unsurprisingly our loneliness causes us to migrate towards and chase after human interaction, connection, and community.
But the strangest thing to me is the very solution we pursue for our loneliness (community, human interaction and intimacy) is the very thing that so often drives us back into hiding, into wanting to be alone with just ourselves again, or more specifically into wanting to be safe.
Few have the strength and fear to remain completely disconnected from others,
so lets not fool ourselves into believing we'll be able to hide away forever.
But what would healthy community look like?
How would we connect with people in ways that doesn't end in destruction?
Not all struggle or deal with loneliness in these ways, of course.
But for those of us to whom this sick little dance has become the story of our lives - whatever are we to do?
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
You've Got It All Wrong, Kid.
They told me all about you.
They told me you were good and loving,
but then preceded to explain how you would rob me of my identity,
violate my existence and force intimacy upon me.
I tried to believe them, I really did.
But then I met you.
You were tender. Considerate. Trustworthy.
They forgot to mention how much you loved who I am,
and what true freedom and love look like.
You showed me anyways.
Now I believe you.
They told me you were good and loving,
but then preceded to explain how you would rob me of my identity,
violate my existence and force intimacy upon me.
I tried to believe them, I really did.
But then I met you.
You were tender. Considerate. Trustworthy.
They forgot to mention how much you loved who I am,
and what true freedom and love look like.
You showed me anyways.
Now I believe you.
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