About a week ago I posted something I called the human satisfaction index:
empty > satisfied
stressed > relaxed
powerless > powerful
anxious > at peace
sad > happy
depressed > joyful
striving > content
desperate > fulfilled
rejected > embraced
lonely > belonging
trapped > free
success > significance
low self image > high self image
fearful > confident
confused > clear
troubled > okay
I asked the question whether Jesus cares where we are on this. And you gave me some great feedback.
Now I’d like to share a little bit of my story. I’m going to focus on this one:
stressed > relaxed
There was a time in my life when I did not know how to relax. I know this might sound a little crazy—but because of some difficult things I went through, I couldn’t sit at a kitchen table without shaking. I woke up even more tired than when I went to sleep because I couldn’t relax—even in my sleep. I was always on edge; always gritting my teeth. (I’m surprised I have any teeth left.)
It never occurred to me that Jesus even cared whether I could relax or not. That wasn’t part of what it meant to be “a good Christian.” I focused on obeying the rules, learning the Bible, playing the game.
But Jesus had other ideas. And, to tell you the truth, He did the last thing I expected. He let things get quite a bit worse.
Has that ever happened to you? You need money, and suddenly the car breaks down. You need healing, and the doctor finds something else that went wrong. You need friends, and your only friend moves away.
Why does God do that? Why does God allow that?
I don’t know about you, but looking back, I’m glad He did. It was the best thing that could have happened to me.
More next time…
Dwight
Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Jesus talked to the woman at the well in Samaria.
New question: Which King murdered the son of his mentor?
