A guide from beyond...

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
-Rumi

This last week was packed full of some really tough personal trials in my world. There were some moments where I stood on some promises of God in the face of some unknown paths ahead...in naked faith. These are pivotal places that expose your inner life and the material that is built within it. In this trail, I was comforted by the revelation of God's will and grace in some new ways. I found a place of acceptance of the uncontrollable and the energy of the possible that is only realized by stepping into the place of surrender. When you let go...you discover something that you were holding but couldn't truly see until you surrendered what you thought you had. Does that sound like something Yoda would say...I know, but its true, if you've been in that spot, you understand.

I don't believe that the way of Jesus is simply an art of letting go, or a denial of reality or a path of personal renunciation. Becoming some unfeeling block of ancient stone isn't Jesus spirituality...it Buddhism. God is a God of Justice...and that means compassion isn't going to disengage and put on a straight jacket of acceptance...but instead true freedom is found in becoming an instrument of transformation. God isn't meditating...He is saving.

But, there is a mystery in this outworking, that involves embracing the darkness of God that illuminates the soul...until darkness and light become alike to the seeing pilgrim. A calm, settles into the frantic prone, jittery leaning heart...a slumber soon descends that allows one to sleep in the storm.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. -Romans 8:28

How happy are tried Christians, afterwards....

How happy are tried Christians, afterwards. No calm more deep than that which succeeds a storm. Who has not rejoiced in clear shinings after rain? Victorious banquets are for well-exercised soldiers. After killing the lion we eat the honey;after climbing the Hill Difficulty, we sit down in the arbour to rest; after traversing the Valley of Humiliation, after fighting with Apollyon, the shining one appears, with the healing branch from the tree of life. Our sorrows, like the passing keels of the vessels upon the sea, leave a silver line of holy light behind them "afterwards." It is peace, sweet, deep peace, which follows the horrible turmoil which once reigned in our tormented, guilty souls.

See, then, the happy estate of a Christian! He has his best things last, and he therefore in this world receives his worst things first. But even his worst things are "afterward" good things, harsh ploughings yielding joyful harvests. Even now he grows rich by his losses, he rises by his falls, he lives by dying, and becomes full by being emptied; if, then, his grievous afflictions yield him so much peaceable fruit in this life, what shall be the full vintage of joy "afterwards" in heaven? If his dark nights are as bright as the world's days, what shall his days be? If even his starlight is more splendid than the sun, what must his sunlight be? If he can sing in a dungeon, how sweetly will he sing in heaven! If he can praise the Lord in the fires, how will he extol Him before the eternal throne! If evil be good to him now, what will the overflowing goodness of God be to him then?

Oh, blessed "afterward!" Who would not be a Christian? Who would not bear the present cross for the crown which cometh afterwards? But herein is work for patience, for the rest is not for to-day, nor the triumph for the present, but "afterward." Wait, O soul, and let patience have her perfect work.
-Charles Spurgeon