We humans love a bit of structure, don’t we? Yesterday I was reading about lottery winners whose lives have stayed exactly the same, despite their new-found wealth. One still works stacking shelves at the supermarket, whilst another lives with his mum in the same house . The interviewer seemed shocked, but I can understand it. Change, both good and bad, can be very threatening. There’s so much out there that’s frightening or doesn’t make sense – so we search out routines to bookend our existence and make it safe.
Most days I take my laptop out to a coffee shop and write from there. Over the course of time I’ve got to know most of the regulars and the staff. Like me, they have their own patterns and habits. A certain chair, a type of sandwich, even our greetings, rehearsed over time, like a pair of comfy slippers. All of life is reflected in the windows. Outwardly we seem very different and yet – at heart we’re looking for the same things. A sense of belonging. A purpose. To know and be known. To somehow connect.
Connecting is often so very hard. We know we want to belong, but we are scarred, scared & skeptical. Broken relationships leave their mark, disappointment, rejection, pain, and unforgiveness can leave us feeling very alone. While we long to know and to be known. We so often stay on the superficial, because it costs to much to really let someone know us. And to really get to know another human being, at a real, genuine level costs too. We hide behind so many things, I think, secretly, because we are scared that we don’t really know who we are. And that is one of the most frightening discoveries in life. Jesus promises us a new name, a new identity, adoption into his family, a hope & a future. But having the confidence & faith to live in that is a daily battle.
Very insightful – thank you.