If you’ve been to a summer camp, you may have memories of flying off the innertube or painting a ceramic cat that your parents “forgot.” My core camp memories are a little different. One summer after high school, I worked as the counselor for 19 middle school girls at a camp somewhere in the Dakotas. Nothing has tested my faith more.
I lost the feeling in my fingers as I gripped the steering wheel tighter, white-knuckling my way through our neighborhood. It was almost 5:00 p.m., which meant my husband would soon gather our children and I would attempt to gather my thoughts. Usually, while our days aren’t perfect, they tend to run pretty smoothly. But today wasn’t one of those days.
Jesus encourages us to love with real openness and honesty, but such love also brings great vulnerability. By loving and living in a way that we mourn deeply, we open ourselves up to incredible heartache, trouble, and hurt. But! We also draw closer to Jesus, and, with Him, there is potential for great joy because Jesus has overcome the world. (See John 16:33.) In other words, the risk of grief or mourning can be overwhelming. It is not easy to love people to a point where we mourn over hardship and loss. But, through it, God promises life-changing joy if we are willing to take the chance.
I want to live an abundant life. Do you? If you long to live a life overflowing with hope, peace, and joy, perhaps what your life needs is an intentional center. We all have one―that nucleus upon which we obtain our energy and discern our purpose. Perhaps until now, your center has been based on shopping, entertainment, or sports. Or maybe you are like many others and have centered your very existence upon your children, family, or career. What if those things you’ve placed at the center of your life will not bring you the abundance you desire? What if you need a true center?
I sat in the ashes with the broken pieces of what I thought would bring me happiness and fulfillment. By shattering my greatest dream in this period of my life, God shattered my heart, but not with the intent to destroy it. He aimed to mend it and re-direct it. Every shattered piece, every debris, needed to be cleaned, re-shaped, and then put together again by the God of restoration.