| Henri Nouwen’s book, Life of the Beloved, is one of my all-time favorites.
While I highly recommend you add it to your summer reading list, the gist of the book can be summarized in a four-step-process to finding your purpose to be used by God.
Analogous to the eucharist, we are taken, blessed, broken, and shared.
Simple steps, but certainly not an easy process right, sunshine?
Much like Christ’s death where He was broken for us, we, too, must undergo a breaking process.
It is then in obedience and through our openness, honesty and vulnerability, our wounds will be healed; in turn we can choose to share this pain in order to help others. Our true ministry and purpose are revealed through this process.
This can only occur if we are willing to…
…lay down our fears of being “found out”
…withstand judgement from others who will one day be rightfully judged
…surrender our pride to say “me, too” to someone who shares your pain
…get real and talk about forbidden, taboo topics that wouldn’t dare be discussed “at church”
Like this week’s scripture memorization [letter U], we must be willing to “die” (pride, fear, honesty, greed, etc…) for the sake of others.
Are you willing to die for the sake of another, sunshine?
I challenge you to get real–be vulnerable–share a place of brokenness with at least one other this week; just think about how that person may live as a result of your willingness to die…
With love, |
