Wonderings--December 2

A number of years ago, while searching through Barnes & Noble for a new book, I stumbled upon Donald Miller. . . Truth be told a couple colleagues of mine highly recommended his book Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thought on Christian Spirituality to me, but in honestly, I get a lot of those suggestions. Ministers love books. We love offering a new book to a friend or inviting someone to learn cherished wisdom from someone who has meant a lot to our development. 

Some of those suggests I follow up on, and some go on my lengthy list of future purchases. There is no arbitrary formula for the decision-making process; it just happens.

In the in-between time, Donald Miller just sat there in my mind waiting to either be welcomed into my library or passed off to 'the list' and the uncertainty of it. 

So in Barnes & Noble that day I saw the blue book that was recommended to me and decided that it was God's providence that led me this moment (Was that true, I don't know. I bought the book). Since then I have read and re-read and re-read sections of that book over and over for nearly 12 years. Its wisdom, its humor, and its honesty are a breath of fresh air some times that I need to breath in.

Today, I am having a really good morning so I slid Blue Like Jazz from the shelf and began it again. Donald never fails to bless my soul with his words.  

Not too far into my skimming and note-reading I found these words at the end of a section: 

"Here's the truth about telling stories with your life. It's going to sound like a great idea, and you're going to get excited about it, and then when it comes time to do the work, you're not going to want to do it. It's like that with writing books, and it's like that with life. People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen. But joy costs pain." (Emphasis added).

As I read, "joy causes pain" I rocked back in my chair and thought a little. I thought about challenges that I have faced, fears I pressed into, anxieties that I confronted and I remembered how God was also close to my heart in those moments. I may not have noticed God immediately shouting forth some wisdom or scripture to help me through. But upon reflection, when the moment was over, I could clearly see God present and active. 

The joy that came to me was there because I contorted the challenge and worked through the pain. . . 

I wonder how "joy costs pain" resounds in your day? I wonder what story comes to mind as you read these words? And I wonder if God might be offering you a chance to reach out to someone and share your struggle, by doing so you might be a helpful tool that God is using. . . 

Blessings

Rev. Derek