This Is a World of Intrusion

Our journey toward heaven, however, does not, according to Christ, consist of the world's goal of obtaining comfort. "There shall be tribulation…" says Jesus. Is there a middle of the road we can take whereby we can have only minor tribulation and keep the comfort we so desire? I don't believe that is possible.

That said, perhaps we could look for and expect the tribulatory things in life, knowing that, when we recognize our distress of some things, we are drawn a little closer to the Lord in likeness, by the burning of the dross in us. It is possible to be joyous about stress, if we have the knowledge that it helps to purify our hearts through our deepening dependence on Christ. Paul said we are to be happy in all things (not just the good things, but all things).

It really is a matter of training. Since we are trained in the worldly view of things, we must be untrained in that, and re-trained with a more heavenly perspective. Notice the worldly training consists of a focus on self (and the preservation of self). Jesus presented a teaching that denies "self." He said that unless we are willing to let go of our desire to preserve our life, we shall lose it, but if we are willing to forego our life for Him, then we shall gain eternal life. This teaching means we have to be willing to let go of our continual striving for comfort and be willing to "die" for Jesus' sake (which, ultimately, is for our best interests as our joy and peace within is based on our willingness to do this).

The death of our personal self can only happen when we cease grasping for comfort and start allowing what God is sending into our lives (which often is uncomfortable), knowing that, in that uncomfortableness lies our ticket to everlasting peace and joy in Christ. That is how the kingdom of heaven dwells within us, while we are on this earth. Now that I've set you up for obtaining your license to fly through trials and be like Jesus, you, no doubt, are eager to find things with which you can be uncomfortable. Where, oh, where do we look for any discomfort?

We don't really have to look very far for things that will begin to tear down the walls we've built up that protect us from uncomfortableness. They are all around us, mostly running around disguised as "people." Are there people who make you uncomfortable? Are there people who abuse you, emotionally spit on you for no reason (you can think of), despise you, ignore you or deride you? Are there people who (seemingly randomly) make your heart leap out of your chest, in fear, as they cut in front of you on the highway, or tail too close to you, or sneer at you, or act obnoxious in any way?

The world would have you protect yourself as much as possible, therefore, it would encourage you to move, in some way, by: 1) completely ignoring them, 2) giving them a piece of your mind, 3) reporting them to the authorities, or 4) muttering profanities under your breath. Remember, the world would have your "self" be protected, therefore, preserved. In this "protected" state, there can be no transformation by the renewing of your mind (as Paul encourages) because our "self" is protected and preserved, static, unmoving, and even lifeless.

Jesus encourages life. Jesus encourages the death of the old self, by giving us new laws by which to live. These laws are not easy to follow because they involve the death of our old selves, and are, therefore, painful. Pain is not comfortable and, under conditions of the worldly goals, would be discouraged. But, do we want the abundant life Jesus promises, which He says comes through tribulation? Or do we want the old preserved life, which the world encourages by telling us we must be protected against tribulation?

One of the hardest things we'll ever attempt to do is love people who ignore us—or who even actively despise us. Do you see why Jesus' commands to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and do good to those who would do evil to us, remains so low in priority on our life's "To Do" list? It is painful just to think that we must love people who consider us so rotten. No sane person would put themselves through an emotional meat grinder, by embracing such a goal. No sane person would strive to do as Jesus commands. No sane person would leap the wall that protects our flimsy self from destruction, and show such vulnerability and meekness to the conniving and deceitful world, ruled by Satan. And so we must choose the apparent "insanity" of God, and choose to be vulnerable, and truly loving, even though this will, most certainly, bring us pain.

Since we live in this Satan-run world, we must be hurt. One way or another, pain is in our future. Do we want to attempt to nurse our pain the way the world would teach? If we choose its way, we will have an occasional moment of peace, as we build our walls higher and thicker, and as we isolate ourselves further and further away from the source of our pains—but, even as we do this, deep in our hearts, do we not still hear those who cause our pain, crying out for God? In their rudeness, and grouchiness and abuse, do we not see them, writhing in pain themselves, unable to bear life, unless they are attacking us? Could they be messengers from God, sent to knock our walls down so they can have the love God so wants them to have, through His Son, who resides in us? Reconsider, that since God says it is so, that it is so. God wants them to have the love only you can give them, through Jesus Christ. Is this impossible?

Unfortunately, there is only one way out of this Satan-run world, and that is to take the hands of the ones who are hurting us the most, and lead them out with us. We cannot do this alone. We must bear the pain, bear the shame, bear the abuse, bear the crosses God gives us, and with His power, promised, and His word that with God, all things are possible, do what He asks us to do: Love.

Yes, this is a world that imposes itself upon us. It intrudes upon our personal space and lays there, a mud puddle, begging us to splash into it. And, as we do, with all the love we can muster, the mud splashes up into our eyes, and as we wash in the Pool of Siloam, our eyes are opened and we can see, at last, we can see—that the power God gives us, through His Son, Jesus Christ, is meant for all who walk this earth in denial of it. This, my dear friends, is why we are here. Let us rejoice and be glad in the coming days and weeks as we choose to be immersed in Him and give His unconditional love to all.

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