Pain -- The Ever Present Reminder -- dedicated to my friend LITE Life is an interesting place, doncha think? I mean.. with all the ups and downs and lefts and rights we handle each day.. who could call it anything *but* interesting? But in this world today.. especially in the electronic realm called Cyberspace.. more and more people are finding themselves bored. But why is this? I mean.. there are so many things to do these days.. far more than we have ever had. There are games of every type.. from simple solitaire.. to hack-em slash-em nasties in which you can obliterate opponents from all over the globe.. to ones where you can build your own empire and rule over it, either as overlord or even a god. There are more "opportunities" for business people than ever before -- more ways to make money.. more ways to influence others.. more bandwagons to jump on.. and yet.. we are still bored. The only people who seem unbored are those who have a steady influx of the "new" in their lives.. from the latest music, to the latest dishes, new experiences of consciousness, new types and positions for sex.. new this new that.. and even then.. many people still find themselves lacking in real excitement. Some even turn to death-defying.. speed seeking.. thrill and fear stimulation.. all to keep from feeling bored. But is there another answer? Ok.. yes.. pain doesn't seem like a good answer.. nor does discomfort.. but.. if you really get into what I'm about to say.. then you'll see just how important these two things are. When God created mankind.. He wanted us to truly enjoy life. He wanted us to know real joy.. real peace.. and not be overwhelmed with boredom. He gave us our own task.. or job to do.. something to not only keep us busy.. but something for us to take pride in. I've found out that the best successes that I've had are when I take extreme interest in my work.. and am highly self-interested in doing a good job.. whether for myself, for another human being.. or for God. When I'm bored.. or disinterested.. then I'm not all that good at producing more than a half-hearted reply to the task at hand.. and thus only return a smattering of what I really should be accomplishing. But why do I end up so disinterested so much of the time? Again.. why am I so bored with what I'm doing? I think that a lot of it comes from the fact that I am looking around at what I *could* be doing.. and saying, "Well.. ya know.. if I were doing that instead of this.. I'd be a lot happier." And maybe this is true.. in some respects.. Sometimes.. because the other side of the fence is more of what I find valuable in this life.. Sometimes.. because I would make more money, and be able to taste of more of the "enjoyable" things in life if I had it.. and yet sometimes.. because it would simply be "new". But what makes a job.. or anything we do with our time.. more satisfying than something else? Ok.. that's the key word -- satisfying. If things are truly satisfying.. then we have no real longings inside, gnawing at us.. telling us that we are lacking what we need -- in effect.. discomfort. All around this world.. mankind is searching for comfort.. searching to have that gnawing, empty feeling in his soul filled. Boredom is just one of the manifestations of that feeling. Anger, discontent, wanderlust, curiosity, and questioning are a few more. And in this fast-paced world of heavy traffic and heavy commerce, these emotions, among others, are growing at epidemic proportions. But why? I mean.. if we have so many freedoms to pursue what feels good and what tastes pleasant, and we have more money and more power and more avenues to find happiness in.. why aren't we happy? It's all pretty staggering.. So many world-choices to make.. so many ways to go.. take a good long look and you just get dizzy. Maybe that's why Jesus's teachings are so focussed on the simple things in life. Of course.. Jesus's teachings also hit home in a way nobody wants them to -- they're right. But not only right.. they point us to the only avenue home.. an avenue.. not of filling ourselves.. but of emptying.. An avenue.. not of getting.. but of giving. An avenue.. not of godhood.. but of that of a servant -- someone who doesn't demand his daily bread, but who seeks to get bread for others, and live to give his own life as a sacrifice for everyone else -- in*clud*ing those who hate him. I know it seems confusing.. even ludicrous.. to suggest that you get by giving up and giving away.. but take a look at all the Christmasses gone by. When did you feel the most fulfilled.. when you got a lot of gifts? or when you spent a lot of time and effort either finding just that right one for someone, or constructing something with your own two hands.. making it just perfect.. whether to fulfill a need or simply give the person a great delight? But what about Jesus, you say? I mean.. He didn't just tell us to be nice to one another.. He wants far more! And yes, you're right. But.. the principle is the same. Giving all that you can for something good will always be fulfilling. And giving your utmost you can.. knowing that you can help change a life for eternity.. but not only so.. but that you can show your own love to the human being who loves you more than any other.. is more than just worthwhile.. it's satisfying -- not because of the act, itself.. but because God blesses those who put themselves out for His service -- who answer His call and give all they can for Him. I think this is probably the most profound thing that I have learned in my travels on this Big Blue Marble we're on -- that God is not just God.. He's someone whom we can not only learn about, but whom we can know.. on the inside... who we can exchange love with -- real love.. and get far more back than we give out. And this is the reason why so many people are dying inside these days. So many people are pursuing "things".. whether relationships, fun, money, power, or what have you... So many people tell you that they add up to success.. that, "If you only do this one thing, you'll be set for life! You'll be happy!!!" Hollywood preaches this ticket loud and long -- that you need only a girl, a gold watch, and dynamite.. and you'll end up in pure bliss forever. It's all "Take these pills, you'll be thin and happy!" or "Buy this condo.. the view's so good it'll make you happy!" or "Talk on the phone or computer to this girl or guy, and you'll be happy!" But its promises are all empty ones. Of course.. the people in hollywood have their pride, like the rest of us.. and they're not about to admit that they're wrong. That seems to be the "unforgivable sin" these days.. to admit that you were wrong. Nobody does it.. Nobody wants to admit their own frailties and foibles. Course.. I don't completely blame them.. After all.. if you dare to show the world that you're weak.. then it's a known fact that many of the "strong" around you will take advantage of you.. and use you up and spit you out. Many will simply throw you aside as unworthwhile if they see you're weak.. and probably tease and taunt you for it as they do so.. making you feel all that more weak in the process. And so you don't speak up.. you keep up your strong(be really strong through Jesus) image.. and you act like you have it all together.. when you know you don't... just to keep yourself on an even keel, and avoid all the attacks that are guaranteed to come if you don't. So.. as a result.. everyone is all hiding in their bunkers.. holding out big weapons.. ready to attack anyone who comes to close.. and expunge those who are weak. Everyone is acting strong.. when all the while.. deep inside those bunkers.. inside their hearts are people whose hearts are dying inside.. hearts that want to be satisfied.. hearts that need love. And all the while.. there *is* someone who *has* the love they need.. who calls out to everyone, "Come to me, you who are weary and heavy laden.. and I will give you rest." I'm not just preaching words.. I know this. I know the love (to a point) that Jesus can give to us.. that God.. Jesus' Father.. gives to all those who trust in Him. He's not just someone out there in neverneverland who delights only in making us travail over anguish after anguish.. someone who delights in our shortcomings and trouble. Far from it. He *hates* to see us in pain.. He *hates* to see us all dying inside.. and wants us to find the release which He can give us... which *ONLY* He can provide. So why are we in so much pain if God doesn't like it? It's relatively simple -- so that we learn the difference between where we are and where we need to be. As tough as it is to believe, the Bible *is* true. Adam *did* sin.. and when He disobeyed God, he brought a curse down upon the entirety of mankind.. a curse that separated us from the God we need to all know, inside. Only when we are daily relating one on One with Him.. sharing with Him our sorrows, our delights, our desires.. and asking for Him to show us His.. do we begin to find what we cannot find in what our world has to offer -- real satisfaction.. a real end to that gnawing inside. Of course.. in order to *get* this from Him.. we have to do what seems absolutely wrong.. we need to die. "But how can I give up all I have? What if God doesn't provide? What if He isn't all that the Bible claims He is? If I give all that I have up, what will I have left?" -- our hearts pummel us with questions -- "Why is He the only way? Can't I just give a little of myself to this *other* god over here, and still find my way?" That's really the question that a lot of people ask.. Can't I just give up a little.. and not everything? Oh we all disguise it.. but it all comes down to that. All other 'gods' will ask for this and that.. and may even seem to ask for more than the real God does. And maybe in some way, they do.. but in many others.. they don't.. and mankind isn't too interested in giving up what it doesn't have to.. in giving up only what it can "get away with". The only thing is.. these other gods.. whether named 'gods' by some society.. or not.. (such as money, or power, or pleasure).. will not provide. Oh we may get a lot of fun from them.. but not true satisfaction. In the end.. seeking and serving these other gods may be easier.. but it won't provide. The *only* way to find peace in this troubled world is to live in a love-exchange with the one *true* God.. and His Son, Jesus. Oh of course, many will also argue that it's ok to worship whom and what you want.. but.. in the end.. it comes down to this: Mankind suffers from a deadly disease. Living in a loving relationship with God and Jesus provides the only cure -- by first trusting in Them.. then living out that trust in your daily life. If you refuse the cure.. you not only have to deal with your ailment, but the reaction of the one who spent so much to get you that cure. Better to be drowned in the depths of the sea.. than in the hands of an angry God. Refusing Jesus isn't only stupid.. it's deadly. He loves us more than we, as humans, can measure. To refuse the love of the ones who gave us life.. the only truly good beings in existence.. is to invite God's wrath upon you.. not only for that refusal.. but for being an example to everyone around you that God isn't who He truly said He was.. that He isn't pure and truly loving. And staining His name is dangerous ground to walk on. Oh He'll give you a whole lifetime to choose.. but.. only one lifetime.. no more. Ok.. what about proof? You want proof? You want something you can measure? Ask God to show you.. One on one.. His love for you. If you truly ask Him from a pure (not perfect, but of true motives) heart, then you'll get your answer. It probably won't be a great wind.. or earthquake.. or lightning bolt.. but.. it *will* come. Just be on the lookout for it.. because truly.. the answers are closer than you think. Oh.. and what about pain? Pain is both a result and an impetus. God uses pain to teach us when we're not listening to Him... as well as to help us know what truly *is* from Him. Discomfort often comes when we truly set our minds on His will.. because the enemy.. all around us.. hates our being stable.. and wants to thwart all of God's love.. so he attacks straightaway upon our realizations of truth and all progress towards Him. It is though enduring this discomfort that we become more and more fit to help others find God's love.. as the enemy tries to prevent us from sharing it with anyone. No ship every grew strong in drydock. We all need the storms to demonstrate to ourselves and to the world what truly *is* strong -- whether facts that aren't measureable (in which we must place faith), or ideas and notions that are. As Rachel Lampa sings, "Everything that can be will be... shaken shaken shaken shaken...". So the next time you feel bored.. or are hurting.. take courage.. God has more planned for you. Give Him what He asks for.. Everything -- or you can take another spin around the world. The choice is yours. He loves you.. but He won't call forever. :)