I played music this last weekend at Menlo Park Presbyterian's annual all-church retreat. That was a treat in itself. But another benefit is that we got to hear from a really excellent speaker, Dave Johnson, who challenged us in many ways.
One of his messages that impacted me the most was about losing your life in order to find it. So many of the truths that Jesus taught run counter to our culture and the way the world works. Like loving your enemies, whoever would be the greatest must be the servant, etc. But the counter-intuitive truth that's really hitting me where I live is Jesus' teaching that you've got to lose your life in order to find it.
That's true, but man, is it tough to do. I find myself grasping onto the very things I know I should let go of. Anger and bitterness, for example. Or hanging on to some problem area in my life that I want to be rid of, but somehow still hold close -- maybe because it's easier for me to just wish something would go away rather than going through the hard work of dealing with it.
Dave Johnson called it right when he said that when you let go of something, you feel like you're dying inside. But you don't. It leads to life. Having someone confront you about something can be painful and humiliating, but afterwards, it can bring healing. Letting go of feelings of bitterness towards someone is like that, too. You want justice. You want someone to pay. And there's an odd kind of satisfaction in nursing a grudge. Letting go of all of that and truly forgiving someone who's wronged you can feel like you're dying. But you don't. Ultimately, it's freeing, and you come alive.
Funny how this weekend's conference gave me the exact message I needed to hear to help move me forward. God works like that.
One of his messages that impacted me the most was about losing your life in order to find it. So many of the truths that Jesus taught run counter to our culture and the way the world works. Like loving your enemies, whoever would be the greatest must be the servant, etc. But the counter-intuitive truth that's really hitting me where I live is Jesus' teaching that you've got to lose your life in order to find it.
That's true, but man, is it tough to do. I find myself grasping onto the very things I know I should let go of. Anger and bitterness, for example. Or hanging on to some problem area in my life that I want to be rid of, but somehow still hold close -- maybe because it's easier for me to just wish something would go away rather than going through the hard work of dealing with it.
Dave Johnson called it right when he said that when you let go of something, you feel like you're dying inside. But you don't. It leads to life. Having someone confront you about something can be painful and humiliating, but afterwards, it can bring healing. Letting go of feelings of bitterness towards someone is like that, too. You want justice. You want someone to pay. And there's an odd kind of satisfaction in nursing a grudge. Letting go of all of that and truly forgiving someone who's wronged you can feel like you're dying. But you don't. Ultimately, it's freeing, and you come alive.
Funny how this weekend's conference gave me the exact message I needed to hear to help move me forward. God works like that.
No comments:
Post a Comment