Embracing Pain.
A friend asked me what the Gospel is. The good news. Like in two sentences. What is it really? Or maybe even the greater question: How does it work? Today in my life of parenting, working, loving, relating, grieving, failing, how does the good news impact me?
As I run my mind, or more my gut, I know the good news in that I experience it. I feel it. It’s comforting. It establishes my feet and life firmly on His nature. But to invite someone into it with clarity is a supernatural work that obliterates my mind leaving me mostly feeling inept. Kinda like Yoda trying to explain The Force to Luke. Luke be like asking all these questions and Yoda just keels over and dies trusting that Luke gots to experience it for himself. The story went something like that…
While I am sure there are some skilled apologetics that have crafted the good news down in a way that a mind can grapple with it, it would be foolish to limit the good news to something we can explain away. Please do not neglect the pursuit of apologetics. However, I want to challenge us to embrace the spiritual that transcends our mind’s desire to understand it.
Meditating this morning on Paul’s rant in Philippians 3 has put me over the edge. Comprehending and articulating the good news is going to be an endless journey on this planet as we continue to experience and understand the depths of God and His Kingdom. To try and narrow God into my finite mind of comprehension and explain Him in His fullest would make me the god. As if I could somehow, as the created, clearly articulate and comprehend the Creator. While very few of us actually think this, we do unfortunately, frequently, get stuck in this trend. Oftentimes as a result of pain.
You know, the pain that the good news is supposed to inform. The pain that doesn’t generally just go away because of some good news. The pain that Jesus came down to earth to face Himself and model a lifestyle of navigating. Yep, that’s the pain that I, too, have been enjoying as well. The Lord dropped Ecclesiastes 7:2 on me not too long ago, then invited me to practice it… Wheeeeee… #readurbible
It’s actually glorious. It’s a mystery, it’s life, and an opportunity to enjoy the fullness and purpose that Hollywood dreams of. Paul’s rant in Philippians 3 is not an explanation, it’s an invitation. Paul didn’t tell the good news and move on. He, like Jesus, modeled a lifestyle of connection to the Father. Walking with Him via the Holy Spirit on the daily. Paul didn’t sit down to write these theological letters to these churches to explain God. He was simply inviting His disciples to embrace the glorious mystery of walking with Jesus. All these churches had pain that they were navigating, and the solution was the same. To press on in knowing Christ, knowing the power of His resurrection, sharing in His pain, and inviting others to do the same. Some would call it bringing heaven to earth…
It’s worth it, friends, to embrace all your pain with the good news. It’s Jesus Christ followed by a lifelong journey of discovery. No cheat codes, no shortcuts and no way around it. Take your pain today to the feet of Jesus and meet Him. He’s it. And I am honored to be in it with you.
Feel free to stay connected with Robyn and I over at www.locals.com/livebig
