You work hard. Then you get tired and worn out. But some of the reason we are tired is because we thought that at some point we wouldn’t get tired anymore. I mean, we thought that a point was going to come when everything was going to even out; when the stress would ease up; when the pain would cease. And that day never comes. In fact, there’s every reason to believe that tomorrow will be just as hard (if not harder!) than today. And the thought of that wears us out. Pain. Everyday pain of some degree or another. And we’re worn out.
Somewhere along the line someone forgot to tell us the secret.
The world, your world, your day, has its share of pain that shows no sign of slowing. Why? Is it sin in the world? Sure. That must have something to do with it.
But I like my world. I like this place. And if I just say that the world is like the way it is because of “sin,” then I lose most of it. I have to consign most of the world to a corruption that I can’t fix and shouldn’t enjoy. That doesn’t leave me with much. If we just say “sin” and stop there, most of the day is just pointless frustration that we have to grind through and would rather dispense with. But how much of the world (or even your day) does that leave you with? A couple hours? A couple minutes? I want more than that.
Listen. If our infinitely loving God made this world, then the world is made in the shape of love. And not even sin can frustrate that design.
But you see? That’s the secret: the world is made in the shape of love. And the shape of love is one that continually, everyday, cracks open to bring forth new life. If that stopped, everything would die.
But it’s that cracking that we misunderstood. No one told us that the cracking wasn’t just mindless pain that should be removed as quick as possible. The cracking was the design of the world, for it is the shape of love. Love breaks open, so that others may live. Without the cracking, there is no life. If we tried to put the breaks on this whole process, because it hurt too much, then death itself would take over. If a labouring mother decided that the pain was too much; if she decided that she just wants to freeze this whole painful birthing process, then death swallows both mother and child whole. If the painful process that life keeps throwing at us stops, then everything dies.
So, the pain isn’t going to let up, thank God. For it is the design of the world. Love continually breaks open. And that process will involve continual pain throughout your life. The design of the world then is not fruitless pain. The very opposite. It is the design of the world, the design of love, to break you open, so that you might give life to everyone around you. You yourself become a tree of life, a river of water. But only if you can see that is exactly why you get hurt, frustrated, and confused–it is how love moves.
If love says, “No more. I can’t take it,” then death seizes hold. Pain isn’t the worst thing. Is bad, but it’s not the worst. Trying to end all pain is the worst. For that kills the movement of love. And death takes hold.
Seeds were meant to crack open. The earth was meant to be tilled. Humans were made to sweat and bleed. If you try and stop that, everything dies.
We keep waiting for the frustrations of life to end, but they never do. Life never evens out. If it did, everything would turn to ice. Fire brings forth life and, well, fire burns. Look and see that this is not some design to drive us to depression, but it is the design and shape of love; once we see that, we can joyful embrace the strangeness and struggle of each day. Life and love are surging forth.
So, embrace the design of the world, for the design is love.
Tom+