Relinquish the "Rational"

 "I don't know what's going to happen. What's going to happen?"

I've heard those trembling words echo over and over.  They billow up from the bowels of fear that is not completely baseless.  At one, two or several occasions in life an event will happen that is so unexpected that it can shake our core belief system about who we are, where we come from and where we are heading.  If that shaking is pervasive, it shapes how we live. 

"How do I prevent this from happening again?"

"Nobody will ever hurt me like that again."

"What's wrong with me that this would happen to me? What did I do? How can I fix it?"

Did Joseph feel that way as he spent years in prison? What about Gideon, David or Moses?  Each of our great examples of faith lived through incredibly traumatizing times and they each are described as having periods of isolation, separation and moments of wondering what to do. 

David was small and ran and hid. Gideon was considered the weakest and asked God for reassurance. Moses stuttered and was scared he couldn't communicate to Pharaoh. Esther had to wonder, "If they really find out who I am will I still be esteemed?"

As humans we have some basic agreed upon beliefs: Parents are supposed to love their children. Husbands and wives are to love one another. Friends are to be loyal and true. And so on. Yet, we see those broken everywhere around us. 

There's one thing that each and every one of the great leaders of faith all across time have shared in common - the need to relinquish understanding.  It was okay that Moses didn't know how he would get the Israelites across the Red Sea.  It's okay Joseph didn't understand why so many in his life betrayed him. 

Abram was told to leave Ur without even knowing where he was going, but he went. His dependence upon God and not his own understanding was his strategy and while he faced precarious experiences, the peace in his heart was nestled in by his belief in what God would do, not what move he would make. It's God's peace that takes us where our understanding just cannot go. Actually, the key to faith is not in "figuring it out" at all!

The world is shouting at us what we ought to think and do.  The world treats us as their experiences have shaped them - a hurting world will do hurtful things and that's why it's our calling to be different and to go like Abraham did, into the unknown. 

We want to apply human sensibilities yet God tells us "crazy" things like, to love our enemies.  If we limit our cooperation with God's direction in our life to what feels good, we'll never go anywhere.

You might wonder why I'm sharing this word in particular today. What would it have to do with the care farm?  It's because one of the last places people want to serve is those whose behaviors are difficult.  My child with difficulty speaking isn't always easy for someone to interact with, so it's a common to see someone swoop in say a few nice words and be gone.  Her cerebral palsy does not remove her need for relationship and fellowship anymore than anyone else.  The rude and grumpy child doesn't exactly attract the warmth of an adult and yet that's exactly what he or she needs because what if their outward expression is due to being told they have no value?  Fractures caused by relationship, need healing through relationship.

God has asked us to lay down our understanding and to go into difficult places NOT for our sake, but for His purpose for us to love another as God has loved us.  As a friend recently reminded me from Psalm 23, it's not that walking in faith keeps us from going through dark and difficult moments it's that by doing so with Him, we find His surpassing peace.  The most amazing thing about God is that he uses even the most painful of circumstances that's brought our way to become our blessing. 

When we take time to go into those foggy places with someone and all we do is give the gift of who God made us to be, we minister hope.  I had someone say to me, I can't really do what you do, but I'd really like to help with building projects. My reply was, "And I'm grateful because building is not what God has for me to do. We need you." 

If you have dismissed yourself, reconsider and step out in faith, relinquishing your understanding and trusting in His. You won't be sorry.