united pursuit

Not only am I an avid blogger, I also avidly read the blogs of others. I came upon one of my favorite band's blogs yesterday and would love to share their message with you. They are known as United Pursuit, which is such a fitting name in my opinion. Something I've heard a lot lately is "we're all in this together." Lovely encouragement. I am not alone. Though I might feel that ache, it is not what is true. I am surrounded by brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers. Friends. Networks. People with likemindedness and like passions. We're all in this together. And God is for us.

Sift & Dig, from Nate [ United Pursuit ]

A brother is a true brother when he digs for the gold inside of another. He diligently sifts through the rocks, dirt, and the all around rubbish for the hidden gold on the inside. He never gives up. He doesn't back away when he comes up empty. He keeps trying, month after month, year after year. And when he finds the gold, he does what Jesus would do. He hands it right back over and says, "This is what I've found in you. This is the gift of God inside of you. This is what I see. This is what I know."

A sister is a true sister when she digs for good soil in another. If she finds toxic soil, she keeps digging. It doesn't scare her. If she finds dry and barren ground, she brings her sister water for her soul, words of life. And the water sees fruit grow from the good soil of commitment and pursuit. Toxic soil isn't to be so scary that we run the other way. The Holy Spirit is the master gardener and is asking if you would be the rookie apprentice. We have much to learn, and the Holy Spirit is ready to teach.

"May your love still abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment."

Philippians 1:9

A part of being in a real community is that we see the "stuff" in others. This is all part of God's healing plan, because through relationship and the gift of trust & acceptance, we can help see the hearts of others healed. We will never know the joys of community if see the crap in each other's lives and run away. No, Jesus calls us to sift for the gold and dig for the good soil.

This is our crossroads, a place where this knowledge can either cause offense and the withholding of love, OR it will cause love to abound all the more.

Here the healing continues. Here is the joy of relationship.

Amazing. And amazingly difficult! For me, it takes an ample amount of energy, patience, and relying on a love & strength not my own to sit and sift with/ through a person. I love it. Yet I don't like the reality of it. Does that make sense?

In this time of my life I feel like I've reverted back to years of hurt and pain that I could have sworn I had forgotten about. And yet here it is, swirling around inside of me. A huge, dark, destructive tornado threatening to suck all of my joy, ruin my relationships, and send me running. It feels like I am back at the start, just standing at the starting line & feeling queasy about the long race before me. There was a time when this type of journey excited me. 'Tis not the feeling now.

I'm grateful for all of the friends in my life who aren't scurred to dive into the depths with me. Especially for my sweet boyfriend who I want to push away & who still refuses to budge. This is both annoying and speaks of God's persistence towards me in a way I've never experienced before.

So, friends, may this be our "united pursuit" :

to continually dig into our own lives, searching for the pearls & gold of his kingdom, reminding each other of the everlasting value we find,

seeking to accept the ever greater reality of his love for us and the love he calls us to for others; to pursue his truth, his heart, his life. For he is life and brings new, full life to us if we ask for it.

May we never tire in these things. Never tire in doing good, pursuing good, repaying good for evil, trusting in His goodness towards us. Amen.