Being present in our own brokenness

One of the best ways to foster compassion isn't so much getting outside of yourself and doing something for someone else, but being present in your own life, open to your own hurt, festering wounds, habitual sins, areas of embarrassing weakness, heartbreak, and sadness... as we open to our own shortcomings and the lack of shalom in our own lives, with Abba, we may experience that the doors of compassion swing wide, and we realize that we can love out of our weakness. The desire to fix others (sometimes prompted by our deeper desire to escape or ignore our own pain) begins to fade, and we realize that the best thing we can do is to be with others. 

WITH

Isn't that what we celebrate during this season. God with us. Jesus came and hurt with us, laughed with us, wept with us, grew up with us, was tempted with us, even bled and suffered scaring wounds with us... he DID have the power to fix us, a power we don't posses, but first he came simply to be with us.

Are we letting him be with us? 

I ask this to myself as much as to you. I have a desire to do things with/for Jesus... but am I letting Jesus be with me in the "bad" emotions, feelings, and thoughts as much as I do in the "good" or "proper" or "Christian" ones? Am I with Jesus in the fear of failing my family, not being able to provide for them? Am I with Jesus in the times when anger creeps up and I snap at Candice and Hazel? Am I with Jesus in the times when I wish my life was different, not as hard as it is at times? Am I with Jesus when I feel like he actually owes me more? Am I with Jesus in the feeling like Young Life was a mistake and I have nothing to offer anyone?

He is with me in at those times, but am I with him?

As I realize the depths of my brokenness, I am filled with love. Both the love of Jesus for me, and love for others. 

Truly, we don't need to run from our own shit... and I think I do often, even by trying to do good things for others at times. I'm not saying we shouldn't!! We must!! But when we serve and love from our wounds, we are truly loving... it's then that we are letting Christ love through us.

Peace.