“Numbing out our pain comes in so many ways; we don’t even realize we’re doing it. Numbness slowly invades our life and we become addicts to the quick fix. This is one of the craftiest ways the enemy attempts to break us down. He doesn’t want us to find hope.”- Meredith McDaniel
“So the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.”- Exodus 12:12-14 (NIV)
Chapters 3 and 4 comprise the second section (“Brick + Mortar: I Have Hope”) of In Want + Plenty. In Chapter 3, Meredith McDaniel observes that the messy and mundane come at us every day. Because of this onslaught, we rarely take time to examine the motivation for our daily activities. So, like balloons drifting farther and farther from view, our dreams fade.
Furthermore, when we view our job as a measure of our worth, we feel burdened by the endless pressure that view entails. Therefore, as with all good things, we need balance. For if we believe our role in life defines us, we may start to live like our happiness depends on us. In addition, Satan loves to subtly tune us into his ways of false living. Thus, we start living in ways not reflective of our true nature.
Like the children of Israel, when a person lives in physical captivity, they quickly morph into spiritual and emotional slaves. Consequently, Meredith explains, God provides the manna:
“God’s willingness to enter in and hear the hearts of his people is a form of manna. He is God and he does not owe us that gift of his presence, yet he offers it constantly. We tend to only see the circumstances, and we miss the love he shows us by being with us in our suffering. Even during the daily grind, he is near. He does not abandon us. Even when we try to separate ourselves from him, he remains.”
Today’s question: What ways do you find for numbing out your pain? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: the May Short Meditation — “Be patient through dry spells”
