Success and pain

Simply by looking at the title, one should expect this to become a painful entry. Why? I guess nobody tends to assume successful entries in blogs, ever. Right? :)

It is a hard task to define success, and sometimes also very hard to define pain. If someone is enjoying success, it might not feel like anything extraordinary, and one still asks: what is success? If someone is experiencing pain, it might not feel that bad, thus asking: why people are afraid of pain?

I've had the poll open asking the question about which one would you chose, success or pain, if success is just keeping you in ok-level relationship with God, whereas the pain would really put you into His embrace. It's not a fair question, necessarily, as good Kathryn has pointed out. However the question arose from a moment of pain, and it is certainly valid in many people's lives.

I'll explore the conditions first: it has become clear to me that the saying "no pain no gain" is very much true, in many areas of life. If my life is successful in its simplest meaning: no disasters, nice work, nice home, nice everything, I can say that I am not in pain. Often in this case I feel that my life is ok, I have plenty of meaningful things to do and I am leading a purposeful life. However, the time seems to be rushing by, I work and achieve, but don't really feel that I am living. It feels just like fulfilling my responsibilities and counting the days that are passing by.

On the other hand, whenever I become sick (physically) or troubled over some human relationships or family issues, or I stand (or sit) face-to-face with someone who is experiencing or has experienced the darkest sides of human life; or when I read a true story of such dark experiences, I feel pain and compassion. Or, I want to feel pain and compassion. At those moments, those flashing moments, I feel that I am living. I can stop and ponder life, seek guidance, feel pain, shed tears, curl up in Daddy's embrace... At those moments I realize that only God matters, only the invisible matters, the visible world will be gone, and there will be a future with no pain, no tears, no hunger, no cold, no heat, no war, no sorrows ...

But it is of course wrong to purposely seek pain, because that's not our "calling". Rather, the challenge seems to be, how to live in such a way that success will not block my sight to the Source of Life? How can I stay true to my God and the invisible reality, while fully committing to the responsibilities and duties of visible? Also, too much theoretical pondering does not take anyone anywhere, so how is the balance of theory and practice? How can I help others to reach balance and really live out my own talk?

I guess there is no definite answers, but I believe, I trust, that there is a Golden Way, a clear target about how we humans are supposed to lead our lives. This Golden Way contains not only theoretical guidance but also practical instructions; it is comprehensive in covering all areas of life and conduct; it would be such a mirror to our soul that the truth about us will be revealed; it would also be clear enough for us to see, at the same time the perfection we can never reach. Jesus has shown us the way, He wants us to walk through the pain and the success with the same attitude and character He has. He doesn't expect anything less from us, at the same time He fully accepts us and our failures.

Coming back to the moment of pain that ignited the thoughts. I want to experience pain, boldly, bluntly, but humbly. At the same time I strive for success, because it is good and God-given. If I'm not in pain, I want to be ready to part-take in other people's pain. I believe this is also the "calling" of every Christian in this world. If we are experiencing success, we should live with the people who are in pain and through their sufferings experience the embrace of God. This automatically include charity, help, compassion, time, resources. And when taking into consideration that the success is often a "relative" concept, we who are living in the Western world are abundantly successful just by being here. It's no small blessing, and we will be accountable for how we use the blessings we've received.

To finish this long posting with perhaps "deep" thoughts, I'd like to quote two very well know sayings:
- Knowledge adds pain
- Ignorance is a bliss
The first one can be found in the Bible, the second one is not found in the Bible. Correct me if I'm wrong.

--> Conclusion to the matter: each of us human beings has been blessed with much, at least the Love of God. We should seek balance in our lives, regarding success and pain, attitude and ways of life. In all areas of life and all issues, the most important would be to "be faithful to God, practice justice, and stay humble".

Success or pain

Without further elaboration, please respond to the poll on the right side. And put your explanation / idea / question in the comments...
Ops, one clarification: If success (all around) only keeps you near God, but ..

Niin eli jos haluat vastailla oikealla puolella olevaan kyselyyn, niin voit sitten laittaa kommenttina mitä kaikkia mietteitä sulla olisi asiasta... Kysely suomeksi:
Oletus: olet Kristitty (uskova). Jos menestys (kaikenlainen) pitää sinut pelkästään lähellä Jumalaa, mutta kipu (kaikenlainen) pitää sinut Jumalan sylissä, kumpaa valitsisit?

Relentless

I don't know how normal it is, to be relentless.

Actually I had to look up the word in the dictionary, and it didn't really correspond to my original understanding of the word. The dictionary says:implacable, inflexible, inexorable, or sustained, unremitting... In another word, a relentless person is a hard person to deal with.

Ok, another word, restless.

I've used this other word to describe myself, but not recently. However, it is an apt description of me anyhow. I've been a bit restless, nothing visible, but deep down inside.

The story goes back to the time we returned from China trip, that was 5th of August, c. 2 weeks ago. At that time I was really really tired, I've spent 3.5 weeks in China, in the heat and traveling, talking, discussing, caring, leading, guiding, preparing... The whole time, almost the whole time, I didn't slow down or really had peaceful / quiet time of my own. From my earlier experience, I know this combination of heat, busyness, and constant change is going to hurt, at some point.

Well it hit home when I got home. In a way I was really relieved to return to Finland, to the peace and quietness, to have some time of my own, so I could read Bible, draw close to God and come back to terms with myself and Him and the world. But it wasn't that easy. Despite the seemingly quietness, peacefulness, nothing happens by itself. I haven't been able to really reach the equilibrium I've wanted, not that I know what kind of state I want to reach, but that I know I'm not in a state I want to be.

This shift or displacement has begun way earlier in the Spring time already. Barely visible or noticeable, it strikes in little by little, until it is revealed and observed. I basically woke up to this already earlier, but didn't have any time to do anything about it. Absurd. Then last Tuesday in the prayer meeting at chrch, a young guy testified about his experience, that he had lead a life of faith, seeking to serve and seeking the guidance of God. But recently he came to understand, or God had revealed to him, that he had forgotten to seek God Himself, but rather seeking only the outer things: place to serve, future, friends, acceptance of men. Nothing wrong itself, but really, when man loses the point, it doesn't help no matter what good things man tries to achieve.

Now I've found the problem, actually it's been in my mind for a while already: I am too busy. I have been successful in many ways, which has lead to doing a lot of good things, but forgetting or actually distancing myself from the most important: my beloved Father, my Lord and Saviour, my Counselor and Constant Helper. Without the relationship, whatever I have or do don't have any meaning.

So, I want to get back to the basics, the relationship with God, with Jesus. Not only know how to lead a godly life, but really getting into the source of that godly life.

Easier said than done, but fortunately it's not about me, but all about Him. Lord have mercy, Lord will have mercy. Amen.

It's all about You, Jesus
And all this is for You,
For Your glory and Your fame
It's not about me, as if You should do things my way
You alone are God and I surrender
To Your Ways.