Seems like an oxymoron, right?
My pastor recently gave a message on the Counterintuitive Lessons of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, what Jesus spoke to his disciples seemed counterintuitive. Die to bear fruit. Lose to gain.
As I was thinking over that message, it occurred to me that some of the things I’ve been meditating on lately fit right in with this counter-intuitiveness. I can gain complete freedom by submitting to the Lord’s commands for my life.
My best friend is getting married this weekend and it’s been strange. I’m so happy for her, but she’ll be moving away for some time and she’ll be, like, MARRIED, which is crazy to think about. We’ve been friends for 22 years. Now things are changing.
And that’s a scary word for me. Change. I’m a pretty adaptable person once change has occurred but it’s the anticipation of change, or the making of a decision that will lead to change, that tends to freak me out.
To go on this trip, I will be:
-quitting my job
-leaving my family
-leaving my friends
-moving out of my home
-selling my car of 8 years
-giving up the comforts of home to live in conditions I’m not used to
-giving up a steady income for the first time in 8 years
-leaving my awesome small group
-leaving my church home
Not to mention the internal changes I will for sure experience and be challenged by during the trip. And that’s all pretty scary to me and can be a source of anxiety.
So what do I do? Wallow in my worry and let it make decisions for me?
All of my life is in His hands. He knows exactly where I’m going and who I’ll be and what I’ll do. I don’t need to worry about anything when I give it up to God and trust in Him completely.
Freedom. What a blessed thing.
