Through the broken lens

Colossians 3:1-2 says: 1If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 

I read these words, and they make me consider how we find it so easy to distort the lens in which we seek things that make us whole. We define our missing pieces through the desperation of a broken heart. Considerably, our judgement then becomes tarnished by a sense of self-fulfillment and when that fails, we turn to seductive pleasures found on this earth.

Unfortunately, I’ve discovered that these pieces, though they may seem to fit perfectly, will ultimately be rejected by the organ which desperately needs them. As if it was only intended to do so, and all I could do was watch it bleed out. Waiting silently and listening as those heart beats grew dimmer and dimmer. An unrelenting fact of helplessness stared back at me like burned out embers. All while trying to hold on to a truth I’ve known till now, just slip slowly away.

The funny thing is, even when we go through this seemingly grim moment, next to us will always be God. Gifting us a new life, through Christ. Bringing a new hope, a new joy, a new purpose, and taking with death those old beat-up glasses of a desperate and broken heart that we so much relied on. Finally obtaining a clean new perspective we can use to tend this recent gift, nourished with the right ingredients. Letting it grow and blossom as it was intended. In this way, finding the wholeness we craved so much.

Now we may ask, was such grief necessary? With a heavy heart I must say, yes. This is my reasoning, God knows us, more than we ever will. He knows that if He gives us the gift, that He excitedly wants us to have, while still clenching to a dying heartbeat, we will inevitably miss care that which will make us truly whole. Because the fear of losing what we have, what we know, will overshadow the gratefulness of what we receive. So, God waits patiently, right next to us as we grieve our old lives, so when the time comes to finally let go, he can finally gift us his son.

When I understand this, I understand Paul when he writes, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Col. 3:3-4); and I can joyfully say Amen.