In the buzz of Boat Quay, Chinatown, and even the Redhill MRT (subway) station, I found myself moving towards a sense of peace. The bruises from the last week’s interactions were still fresh and tender. The tiredness from too many overwhelming days was pushing me to the edge. I knew the reasons I should be struggling but life had a different message. In the breeze, I could a sense a community reaching out to help. In the turmoil, the laugh of a colleague told me that we would be ok. In the quietness found in turning a corner, I realized that God was a near as my openness.
I am not the first to wonder what is going on and where God is. Looking back to those before me is easier than admitting how many in this moment are asking this question. Life and living come with wicked arrows. They piece our hearts. They tear at our souls. They bully us into dark corners.
My response is to remind myself of two truths.
Embracing the blues is the first step in letting Hope touch our lives. If is hurts, cry. If anguish is overwhelming, scream! If you do not know what to do, say so. Reality can bite. Life can be very dark. Responding to life in candor and honesty is to embrace our blues.
Let life’s whispers remind you of hope’s great truths and wonders. The colors found in a sunset can soothe your soul. The quiet smells in a gentle breeze can take you into community. In our sleep, Divinity may speak. In one case, in the “night the Master appeared to Paul: ‘It’s going to be all right. Everything is going to turn out for the best. You’ve been a good witness for me here in Jerusalem. Now you’re going to be my witness in Rome!’” (Acts 23.11) Life can be bad. Regardless, tomorrow brings the change to make a difference.
Life full invitation says peace trumps pain, hope is stronger than fear, and community lets us know we are part of something.
