THE ONLY THING THAT STANDS in the way of life is death. I don’t live my daily life conscious of this pervasive truth, but it is real nonetheless.
Death is the portal in which a child passes in order to become an adult, and he or she does so with as much angst as a caterpillar that sheds its cocoon to become a butterfly. The wedding ring, like a soldier’s uniform, is the symbol of a person’s willingness to pass through the death of their single and selfish lives for another. And so it goes with life.
Sometimes we choose to pass through death’s door and into the life that awaits us on the other side.
And sometimes the choice is made for us.
Still other times, we take a look at our “good enough” lives and decide to stop going through death’s door. We all know “coulda, woulda, shoulda” people, with the potential of bringing their beauty to the world, but don’t.
Oftentimes, these people are the ones who have passed through death’s door more than most people, and whether successful in life or not, they no longer have the energy, or hope, or faith, or desire, for what’s on the other side. To them, living in “as good as it gets” is good enough.
The only problem with “good enough” is that it cannot be lived in a vacuum, impervious to the changes that seasons of life bring.
We can build a fortress around our lives to try to maintain the status quo, but we cannot control the life or death of certain people, places, or things either inside or outside the fortress anymore than we can control the changes within ourselves.
Or that small voice that whispers for something different.
My wilderness journey has taught me that I don’t really get to decide against going through death’s door any more than I got to decide my birth. The One who gave me life, and will take my life when ready, has a purpose and a meaning for my life.
And whether I know God or not, I will reach my full potential. If that means going through death’s door one more time, I am going.
If you are in the wilderness or headed that way, I hope my confessions to you about my futile resistance will save you some pain and time.
You can kick and scream.
You can shake your fist at God or deny he exists.
You can try to bargain or try to sell him your idea about your perfect life as it was, and you can even try to make him feel ashamed of himself for being so mean to you.
Or confusing you with someone who needed a different, or so-called better life.
You can busy your life with all kinds of things to do, even run down to the church, get involved, and praise Jesus.
Or you can stay at home, get drunk, eat ice cream by the gallon, and otherwise numb yourself with the sports or shopping channel. But, you are only wasting time and energy.
For you are going through death’s door again.
You have no choice in the matter, for the Lord will not settle for “good enough”, and he will make you feel like you will die if you do not take this trip.
I wish I could tell you how easy it is to get to the other side once you’ve stopped wasting time with your best thinking, but I cannot. No, dear, when it’s the Lord’s idea and not your own, you’re going blindfolded.
And since you have no clue what’s on the other side, and you are filled with the fear of death, you will not be skipping or running through, but you will linger at its threshold.
And it will be as painful as you ever imagined and probably more.
It will sting as much as it did when you lost a child, or went through divorce, or lost your company, or your health. You will suffer as much as you did when you went to jail, or faced your loved ones in shame and guilt.
And though you may feel alone, even abandoned by your friends and family, you will not be alone, for the Lord, who establishes your steps, will be with you. Psalm 37:23-24
One morning you will awaken and wonder when it was that you fell asleep and you will see that it was long before this journey through death’s door.
You will see that somehow you got stuck long ago in the comfort of “good enough” and now, with that dead, you are ready to move toward your full potential.
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live.
But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them,I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days.” The LORD(Deuteronomy 30:15-30 abbreviated)
John 11:25-26,Proverbs 14:27,Romans 5:10, I Corinthians 15:36, Romans 7:9,2 Corinthians 5:4, Romans 14:9
As always, it is my intent and hope that my words may encourage you wherever you are in your journey.
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If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.--Jesus (Mark 4:23)
