"At the time it was hard to see much good in it. Looking back it made me into a new person – I learnt how to handle difficult situations, behave diplomatically and work under stress. Going through hardship, while not nice, was very searching." (Will Collis, one of the participants in the series "Escape to the Legion")
Going through hardship, while not nice, was very searching. Echoes of Hebrews 12:11? It was partly Escape to the Legion and the TV series "Bad Lads Army" and that set me thinking about this.
Recent struggles and the soul-searching that comes with it have highlighted a few things in my own life ... maybe you can relate to this in some way:
Uppermost in my mind is a preference for comfort. I find it hard to live a comfortable life and live on the edge for God at the same time. The aims of the two are so different. But I naturally prefer the former ... that's what my own hardships have revealed. Ouch. But they have also revealed a mysterious determination to pursue the latter. It's a daily battle.
"An unexamined life is not worth living." (Socrates) Growing in maturity always begins with truthfully confronting ourselves as we are, as unpleasant as that can be. It might not take a month in the Foreign Legion to show us our true mettle - it will more likely be our daily battles or struggles.
What are our responses to life's difficulties showing us? Are we prepared to face ourselves? Or are we going to retreat to a more comfortable and unexamined place and let slip the life we were created for? (And I'm definitely preaching this one to myself ...)
One final word ... I have never known the loving mercy of God like I have in recent months and weeks as my rough edges have been exposed and named. The bruised reed he will not break ...
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I'm not very good at facing myself; I think the key to having an examined life is to permit other people to 'examine' you from time to time, to give trusted others permission to ask you the questions you're avoiding... so it's not an individual thing, it's a members-together of the-body-of-Christ thing....
Posted by: John Davies | August 04, 2005 at 01:58 PM
It's interesting that several people in the blogosphere have been travelling similar roads recently and have been posed the challenge between comfort and God's edge.
Apart from the lesson that you are writing about Richard, I wonder if there is something here about community? and if we can work/write together to help each other face these challenges when we appear to face them together?
Posted by: Caroline | August 09, 2005 at 08:40 AM
Thanks for both comments ... yes the need for vulnerable relationships is paramount.
One of the speakers at New Wine this year said "I don't believe in 'personal holiness' any more ... I believe in getting there together". Found that helpful.
Posted by: Richard L | August 09, 2005 at 11:49 AM
So, do you think that there's a way of doing that via the web, as we blog? or do you think that this sort of work can only be done face-to-face?
Posted by: Caroline | August 09, 2005 at 02:21 PM
I think online interactions can be a part of it, but I need the face to face stuff too. (A fellow blogger and real-life friend is due round here for a coffee in about 5 minutes!)
Posted by: Richard L | August 09, 2005 at 02:44 PM
"One of the speakers at New Wine this year said "I don't believe in 'personal holiness' any more ... I believe in getting there together". Found that helpful."
I found it very useful too.
When are you blogging again. This really deserves a follow up you know. hint hint :)
Posted by: Lorna | August 12, 2005 at 07:41 AM
"One of the speakers at New Wine this year said "I don't believe in 'personal holiness' any more ... I believe in getting there together". Found that helpful."
I found it very useful too.
When are you blogging again. This really deserves a follow up you know. hint hint :)
Posted by: Lorna | August 12, 2005 at 07:55 AM
sorry for the double post. I didn't add my email, then it said try again later, and I did, only to find two copies there :(
be blessed :)
Posted by: Lorna | August 12, 2005 at 07:56 AM
Lorna ... thanks for that. I think will revisit this topic soon. I have sensed God trying to get something very important through to me on this very issue - that we can't both allow community to help us grow, and hide from that same community. The rub for me is how this works out in a leadership context ... more to come I think.
Posted by: Richard L | August 12, 2005 at 08:52 AM