What is the toughest thing for someone like me to do? It’s to sit by and watch people and things I love be dragged through the mud. The worst part of it all? The deeper I get into the Church, the more it’s happened. Some might say, “Walk away then.” or “That’s why I don’t do church.” And believe me, I get it. I get the desire to throw it all away in the face of adversity. But I’ve learned most good things are born of pain? Am I right, moms? My good friend, Ginger, has taught me that lately. If I would have walked away the first time someone disagreed with me, or hurt me, or said untrue things about me, my family, or the church, I would have missed out on a lot of heartache. But I also would have missed out on some of the most incredible stories of life change. I’ve seen the spiritually blind see for the first time. I’ve witnessed the lame of heart, stand whole and learn to trust again. I’ve watched marriages completely destroyed mend and swallow their brokenness with love. I’ve heard the shackles of addiction drop to the ground as minds become clear. Good is born of pain. Pain of all kinds. Pain from the enemy, pain from foes, and sometimes even pain from friends and family. But hear me again, and hear me loud and clear. I am undaunted, uncrushed, unabandoned, and unabashedly moving forward. The pain seems to great too go on sometimes, but the good is too good to give up on. I’ve found the darkness has a way of fleeing from the light, but you have to take your light to dark places to see that miracle. There’s a reason people fall away when church gets messy. There’s a reason people retreat to lesser visions when the mission becomes “work”. There’s a reason the Bible is full of verses about strength in the face of adversity, staying the course, and running the good race. It’s because church and true Love for others isn’t for the weak or the meek in Spirit. Both of which, I am on my lesser days, but the strength my heart has gained from seeing God move, won’t let me relent on even the hardest of days. I’m not moved and you shouldn’t be either. Expect the hurt, anticipate the pain, and know the worst is always yet to come in this fallen world, but we can still smile and love those who hurt us because that’s exactly what we too were born of pain to do. Born of pain, to be light in the darkness, even when it hurts.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
The Plain Wife by Aimee Jones 