But that doesn't mean that I haven't been thinking about what to write.
"Daylight to Break" is a song by Switchfoot that was first released by them on the Interwebs and then put on their Eastern Hymns for Western Shores EP. I became quite hooked on the song for a variety of reasons and remember playing it on repeat for months.
The reason the song resonated with me so much is because of all the spiritual imagery that is evoked and also how it reflected a longing in my heart that is always still in tension in this life.
The already, but not yet. If you are a follower of Christ, you must live with this reality every day.
Christ is redeeming all things, but still much brokenness in the world.
There are great joys in this life, but there are also terrible sorrows.
Hope exists, but it often seems elusive.
You cannot escape this tension that exists.
So what does one do?
Do we naively hope against all odds that everything will turn out alright in this life? Or do we hedge all of our hopes in the world to come?
That is what I've been reflecting on for the past two weeks after reading one of the most challenging articles I've ever read, if not the most challenging. In Must Reads of the Journal of Biblical Counseling on Suffering, Joseph P. Lehmann, wrote an article named Believing in Hope: A Meditation on Hope, Expectations, and the Nature of Faith. I won't summarize the article now as I believe everyone should read it and wrestle with it, but will unpack my thoughts on it later.
The past month has been full of joys:
One of my dear friends just married the love of his life at the beach in picture perfect weather.
My old pastor and mentor finally submitted the dissertation that he's been working on for a long time.
One of my favorite couples purchased a home and are excited to settle down.
I have been loved being able to serve with Cru at Wash. U. in St. Louis after a difficult and awkward year the year before.
And there are many more things that could be said.
But, the past month has also been full of sorrows as well:
One of my dear friends has revealed the deceptive lifestyle he has been living over the past year and now must face the consequences of his actions.
Another friend has been struggling with how to minister to his wife in the difficult circumstances she's been in for the past few months.
A different couple has been struggling with the reality of infertility in their lives right now.
I have been facing the reality of unmet expectations, hopes, and dreams. And the crushing weight of the emotional fallout of that existence.
So where do we go from there?
We live.
In the already, but not yet.
In the reality of still waiting for the daylight to break.
How do we live?
As best as we can. Or perhaps, as those who struggle greatly. As those who have been purchased by the blood of Christ, yet who still sin in this life. As those who know the truth, but struggle to believe it. As those who know that even when we are faithless, He is still faithful--for He cannot deny Himself.
It isn't easy. I don't think it was ever supposed to be.
And all of this has led me to reflect on what it means to learn obedience. And how to live life even when we feel as if there is only suffering in our lives. I will be covering those thoughts in my next few posts.
But until then let us keep waiting for daylight to break for that is often all we can do.
The already, but not yet. If you are a follower of Christ, you must live with this reality every day.
Christ is redeeming all things, but still much brokenness in the world.
There are great joys in this life, but there are also terrible sorrows.
Hope exists, but it often seems elusive.
You cannot escape this tension that exists.
So what does one do?
Do we naively hope against all odds that everything will turn out alright in this life? Or do we hedge all of our hopes in the world to come?
That is what I've been reflecting on for the past two weeks after reading one of the most challenging articles I've ever read, if not the most challenging. In Must Reads of the Journal of Biblical Counseling on Suffering, Joseph P. Lehmann, wrote an article named Believing in Hope: A Meditation on Hope, Expectations, and the Nature of Faith. I won't summarize the article now as I believe everyone should read it and wrestle with it, but will unpack my thoughts on it later.
The past month has been full of joys:
One of my dear friends just married the love of his life at the beach in picture perfect weather.
My old pastor and mentor finally submitted the dissertation that he's been working on for a long time.
One of my favorite couples purchased a home and are excited to settle down.
I have been loved being able to serve with Cru at Wash. U. in St. Louis after a difficult and awkward year the year before.
And there are many more things that could be said.
But, the past month has also been full of sorrows as well:
One of my dear friends has revealed the deceptive lifestyle he has been living over the past year and now must face the consequences of his actions.
Another friend has been struggling with how to minister to his wife in the difficult circumstances she's been in for the past few months.
A different couple has been struggling with the reality of infertility in their lives right now.
I have been facing the reality of unmet expectations, hopes, and dreams. And the crushing weight of the emotional fallout of that existence.
So where do we go from there?
We live.
In the already, but not yet.
In the reality of still waiting for the daylight to break.
How do we live?
As best as we can. Or perhaps, as those who struggle greatly. As those who have been purchased by the blood of Christ, yet who still sin in this life. As those who know the truth, but struggle to believe it. As those who know that even when we are faithless, He is still faithful--for He cannot deny Himself.
It isn't easy. I don't think it was ever supposed to be.
And all of this has led me to reflect on what it means to learn obedience. And how to live life even when we feel as if there is only suffering in our lives. I will be covering those thoughts in my next few posts.
But until then let us keep waiting for daylight to break for that is often all we can do.
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