“Why do we wait until we hit rock bottom before we allow others to enter into our mess? Maybe it’s because we believe a lie that says we must keep all the plates spinning or there might be something wrong with us. But when it all falls apart, we are left lonely and isolated, longing for the community we truly needed every step of the way.”- Meredith McDaniel
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another.”- Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)
Meredith McDaniel concludes Chapter 2 of In Want + Plenty as she notes that when we’re authentic and openly share our status, that releases a tiny bit of freedom. And we never know we managed to miss that freedom in our souls. Because, although we know the truths of God’s Word in our heads, we find that our hearts hesitate to let those truths sink in too far. Through God’s power, we release our angst.
Yet, when we shift into relying too heavily on earthly rewards, we lose sight of our greater purpose. As a result, we wind up surviving. Instead of thriving. Think back to the enslaved Israelites in Egypt. They grew accustomed to the expectations of their Egyptian masters. In their oppressed state, the children of Israel threw in the towel and accepted a specific mind-set: survival depended on putting their heads down and working hard.
Therefore, when dreams fade and we grow weary, we want to wave the white flag. In addition, we stand back and wonder why. And we desperately self-medicate. Hence, Meredith reminds us:
“We all find ourselves hoping for something far batter while trying to remember who we are and what we were made to be. We crave relief and hope. . . . Take a few minutes to sit still and digest. Pray and ask God to help you just be with him (emphasis author’s).”
Today’s question: Why do you think we wait until we hit rock bottom? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Numbing out our pain – many varieties”
