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| Photo taken by Julie Pohl |
The above
image is of a hymnal from a United Methodist Church destroyed in a tornado on
February 29, 2012 in Harveyville, Kansas. The hymnal survived. It was found in the midst of absolute ruin. It was beaten and battered – but it survived.
It is proof that things -- and I believe
humans, as well -- can and do survive the storms that come into our lives. Yes, damage can be left in the wake of storms
and it can be devastating but it can also provide for growth, change, new
possibility and re-creation can occur.
Sometimes we
wonder how we are supposed to endure all that comes our way. Sometimes it feels as if we are living a life
of sheer survival. Sometimes we feel
like the good moments are merely reprieves between the storms.
But the
truth is … life is a blessing. That
blessing is a series of ups and downs.
It is a bounty of experiences and opportunities. It is a feast of people, places, and events
that are part of our journey. It is a
journey that is rich with possibilities and options.
In my
younger days, I would moan and complain about the “crap” that would pile one on
top of the other in my life. I thought
it was some horrid test that I was failing. Illness, car expenses, lost jobs,
stresses, and other stuff seemed to come over and over. It felt like evil and negativity were laying
traps for me. It was frustrating.
I remember
hearing that God never gives us more than we can handle. But, I thought, obviously God was
overestimating what I could handle.
As I have
matured in my faith, I understand that God is not testing me ... it’s
life. Life happens. Good things come our way and difficulties do,
as well. It is the cycle of
reality. We have mountains and valleys. If we focus on the valleys – we will miss the
amazing journey up and around the mountain – and the view from the top. If we only focus on the mountain top we feel
betrayed when we find ourselves in the valley.
It’s the whole journey – not one extreme or the other – that helps us
grow in our life and in our faith.
As Brian
McLaren writes: “Yes,
thank God, in this life there are green pastures, still waters, overflowing
cups, and laden banquet tables. But there are also valleys of the shadow of
death in which evil lurks and enemies wait for a misstep or mistake upon which
to pounce. To sustain us through those dark valleys, we are given simple words
of aspiration, refusal, and lament: when?, no, and why?” (word 9, from Naked
Spirituality pp. 181)
And what I
trust is this -- “I can do all things through him who
strengthens me.” Philippians 4.13: (NRSV). Or
maybe another version works for you: “Christ gives me
the strength to face anything.” (CEV)
This passage is so important in my life.
It reminds me that I am strong – I can survive – because Christ has
given me strength to survive and thrive.
No matter
what – mountain or valley or in between – we are not alone. We are not too weak to endure. Christ is with us on our journey. Christ strengths us to endure.
The
journey continues …
