Into the Fire

Few of us have avoided slipping into the grind of life. It often comes to us via our jobs. For others it arrives on Monday morning when we must head to school. Still others face it making endless lunches and sorting through mounds of reappearing laundry.

Needless to say, life presents the opportunities for, or hazards of, slipping into “the grind”. It seems there are multiple reasons for this occurrence.

Number one, there is nothing new under the sun according to Solomon. That means it’s difficult to experience something unusual to us on a regular basis. The older we get the more we’ve seen and done which also suggests we can become cynical if we’re not careful, or hopeless at our worst.

Number two, when the mundane of the everyday dominates our existence, we tend to forget the basis for seeking inspiration. That inspiration sometimes awaits us in silent and obscured places. The reason for this can be as simple as finding value in the ordinary requires a certain faith with a measure of determination. Will we look for it?

Number three, when the options are few or significantly limited, we can feel boxed in, our directions stunted, our desires for change shoved away in frustration.

And these are just the normal hindrances. What about when “the grind” hits our creative energy and brings it crashing to the basement of our brain. No ideas. No right words. No nothing to lead us to that place where our spirit elicits fresh images which are transmitted to our fingers. The stale odor of overused words permeates our efforts, and the stinking results convince us we failed our attempts at recovery.

The grind comes in multiple forms, and, as so many facets of this journey through life, we simply must experience it to appreciate when it is lifted and the freshness of anticipation re-enters our psyches.

As Christians, we understand that every good and perfect gift comes to us from God through His Spirit. But sometimes I think we overlook the gifts because we disregard or ignore the obvious provisions of breath and abilities and thoughtful considerations. We assume these blessings must come in mega doses, enclosed in the gift wrap which assures us when we open them up, they’ll contain a material item we can enjoy.

Some days, the wonder of waking up is amazing. And truly it is a gift to experience life. But yet we can’t help but wonder why some wake up to suffering and pain. We can’t control the grind in others’ lives. We can only learn to appreciate the provisions in our own. The conundrums of the world are not ours to solve.

If today you write one sentence which feels right, the grind has passed you by for that moment. Be grateful. In fact: be grateful anyway. For all the pain and frustration you experience in this life, God has provided a way to spend eternity in perfection. There’s an end to all of this. Pick your place. The grind will end. Eventually. Anticipation will return and inspire your work and your words. And Jesus will see you through the maze of mental calisthenics if you let Him.

These certainly do seem like Monday morning thoughts on a Sunday night . . .

Father, I need to trust you above all. I need to listen, love, and obey. I love you, Lord. In the Name of Jesus.