Playful and Messy
Good Morning,
“As we stand at the beginning of a new year, we often look back at the year just ended to see if it turned out like we had hoped or planned. Some of you undoubtedly are glad to have 2019 over. Hopefully, many of you have high hopes for 2020.” – From Monday Morning Minute Jan. 6, 2020
As I look back on what I wrote at the start of last year I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I’m guessing that 2020 saw both laughing and crying for you. Most of us couldn’t wait for the year to be over. 2021 will surely be much better, right? But here is a sobering question. What if it isn’t? What if all the things that were out of our control – that we tried to control anyway, are still present or present as part some new chaos? Are we subsequently going to feel like we are living life upside down again? Or could it be… might it even be possible, that circumstances do not have to control our demeanor and our outlook?
Last year a wise counselor encouraged me to focus on two words. Playful and Messy. “Playful” because it is far too common, to take far too many things in life, far too seriously. Things like a spotless house, a strict budget, the activities our kids are involved in, our diet, our exercise regimen, and a host of other things that while sensible and valuable, in the scope of eternity just won’t matter that much. Yet when life seems out of our control, we tend to try harder, control more, and completely lose any sense of playfulness. And we find ourselves exhausted.
“Messy” because whether we like it or not, messy is more the norm of life than neat and orderly. Most of us don’t do messy all that well. We spend most of our time in the messy trying to make it organized and comfortable. And in doing that a couple things happen. First, we miss the adventure of the journey that God has us on. It is often in the messiness of the journey that we rediscover a heavenly perspective and learn to appreciate the most precious things in our lives. Secondly, in our rush to alleviate the messy we can easily settle for second best. While we may be able to check something off as resolved, it may well have come at the cost of growth that comes with struggle. What we are left with is a false sense of peace along with some temporary comfort.
There is another and better approach. Our faith, which according to Scripture is of greater worth than gold, can do more than sustain us in messy. It can allow us to thrive. Because the object of our Faith – Jesus, is behind us, ahead of us and in the trenches with us every single moment. We are never out of His sightline. And the confidence to face tomorrow that comes with that is literally supernatural. Instead of exhausted and frustrated we can experience an unshakable hope, and a profound peace that is beyond comprehension. How does that sound to you this morning?
So whatever 2021 throws at you, don’t let it get the best of you. It is yet another step in your journey of becoming all that God envisioned when He designed you. And you can rest assured that you aren’t journeying alone.
Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – Jesus, John 16:33
Live this week on purpose,
Ron Klopfenstein
