"Me Too"

Thoughts For The Throne
September 14th

I had lunch this weekend with some good friends and walked away feeling quite refreshed. Sometimes when you share a meal with people there might be a hint of a deeper kind of conversation, but typically there is usually more eating and less talking. With the busyness of life we are sometimes driven by the clock and eat in a hurry, leaving limited time or space for “beyond the surface” kinds of conversations.

I sometimes find myself being a slave to the clock, moving quickly from one thing to the next. This weekend however, I sat with my two friends at lunch and I was determined to not watch the clock. Our conversation was filled with all sorts of topics and conversations, some focused on life’s bigger questions and others focused on the day to day struggles we all encounter. For me, the most refreshing part of the conversation was hearing two simple words that carry with them a magnificent healing power; the words "me too".

There's something special about hearing those words from someone. I think that we each carry within our broken souls a false assumption that we are unique in our hurts. We believe that we are singular in our struggle. Pioneers into a land of pain that no one has ever set foot in before. But that's just wrong...

We're not Neil Armstrongs of sin. In fact God’s Word (see below) says that we can't encounter any temptation or struggle that isn't common to others. But we forget this. Satan uses our shame to isolate us from the fellowship that God has designed us for. And sometimes, we need to hear someone who is walking a similar path as us say "me too".

There's something about those words that carries with it a power greater than even an answer to our problems can give. A power that builds a bridge between two people. A power that heals...

I hope as you continue in your time here at FPU, you examine where you’re at in life, look at the struggles you encounter, and remember you are not alone in those. It’s easy to push people away as it’s much more difficult to let people in. My prayer for you is that you engage in those deeper conversations with people you trust. But I’ve learned that the more honest we are with ourselves and with those around us, the more we allow room for God to work…to heal our souls…and remind us that we are His.

Until Next Week…

Becky

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure”. 1 Corinthians 10:13