Two More From Henri

I'm still in the process of weeding through the many things I've flagged in my various email inboxes to share here, or comment on, so you can expect more mish-mash posts in the days to come, but in the meantime, here are two more thoughts that arrived in my inbox recently from Henri Nouwen...

Stepping over Our Wounds

Sometimes we have to "step over" our anger, our jealousy, or our feelings of rejection and move on. The temptation is to get stuck in our negative emotions, poking around in them as if we belong there. Then we become the "offended one," "the forgotten one," or the "discarded one." Yes, we can get attached to these negative identities and even take morbid pleasure in them. It might be good to have a look at these dark feelings and explore where they come from, but there comes a moment to step over them, leave them behind and travel on.

Trusting the Catcher


Trust is the basis of life. Without trust, no human being can live. Trapeze artists offer a beautiful image of this. Flyers have to trust their catchers. They can do the most spectacular doubles, triples, or quadruples, but what finally makes their performance spectacular are the catchers who are there for them at the right time in the right place.

Much of our lives is flying. It is wonderful to fly in the air free as a bird, but when God isn't there to catch us, all our flying comes to nothing. Let's trust in the Great Catcher.

Really Not Okay

I'm really struggling this morning.

One of those days when it feels like the whole world is crashing in, banging at the door, waiting to list your failures.

And yes, I know, I'm not a failure. I know that's a lie. But this morning, I feel like one. This morning I'm having a really hard time pushing that away.

So, I'm going out for a while. Because the thought of being at home by myself is just too much to bear right now. If I'm around people, I can, just temporarily, push the other stuff aside. I'll deal with it later. But right now, right in this moment, I can't face it. So I'm going out.

Hurting

My heart aches tonight.

I've heard from three of my closest friends in the last day or so, and they're all hurting.

My heart aches with my own ongoing struggles, but also with the pain of those I love.

I re-read one of my favorite passages of scripture last night, just before sleeping, and from it comes the cry of my heart, and the breath of hope for healed lives, and the commitment to continue to press towards Jesus.

I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.

Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

(Psalm 116:1-2)