BP 84 (for Monday 20 Apr)
“Entering the Iron: Taking the Way that Hurts”
Pain.
We all feel it, struggle with it, suffer through it.
As challenging as it is to bear, I’m exceedingly grateful for pain; for it, in and of itself, can be intensely illuminating. Pain, if I’m listening properly to it, can tell me a lot about my current situation. It can tell me…
1/When there’s something wrong within myself.
2/When a perceived wrong is being (or has been) committed against me.
3/When I perceive that I’m committing (or have committed) a wrong against someone else.
4/When I’ve exceeded my limits. Like when I’ve pushed myself too far and taken ill or suffered a repetitive-use injury, a sprained ankle, or a pulled muscle.
5/When I haven’t pushed myself far enough and am suffering the pangs of guilt arising from half-hearted, easy-way-out behaviors.
6/When I lose something and feel really badly about it (or don’t). It can be really illuminating to lose something and yet not only NOT feel badly about it but feel relieved. This kind of thing has happened to me several time in my life.
And…
7/When I’m doing the right things in the right way and yet feel pain in the doing of them. Often, doing a job right hurts something in me. I often have to remind myself that if what I’m doing doesn’t hurt, I’m probably either doing it wrong or, worse, just going through the motions. Doing the right thing and doing it exceptionally well should hurt—far more often than not. Most people (including me) think they’re above average. The truth is they’re not. Most of us (again, including me), in most arenas of life, hover somewhere around the midpoint (which is the definition of “average”). To tell ourselves otherwise is to lie to ourselves.
Given all the above, it’s hard for me to conclude how the kind of pain I’m writing about could be anything but a good friend. To befriend such a friend, however, I must…
1/Feel it.
Pain.
We all feel it, struggle with it, suffer through it.
As challenging as it is to bear, I’m exceedingly grateful for pain; for it, in and of itself, can be intensely illuminating. Pain, if I’m listening properly to it, can tell me a lot about my current situation. It can tell me…
1/When there’s something wrong within myself.
2/When a perceived wrong is being (or has been) committed against me.
3/When I perceive that I’m committing (or have committed) a wrong against someone else.
4/When I’ve exceeded my limits. Like when I’ve pushed myself too far and taken ill or suffered a repetitive-use injury, a sprained ankle, or a pulled muscle.
5/When I haven’t pushed myself far enough and am suffering the pangs of guilt arising from half-hearted, easy-way-out behaviors.
6/When I lose something and feel really badly about it (or don’t). It can be really illuminating to lose something and yet not only NOT feel badly about it but feel relieved. This kind of thing has happened to me several time in my life.
And…
7/When I’m doing the right things in the right way and yet feel pain in the doing of them. Often, doing a job right hurts something in me. I often have to remind myself that if what I’m doing doesn’t hurt, I’m probably either doing it wrong or, worse, just going through the motions. Doing the right thing and doing it exceptionally well should hurt—far more often than not. Most people (including me) think they’re above average. The truth is they’re not. Most of us (again, including me), in most arenas of life, hover somewhere around the midpoint (which is the definition of “average”). To tell ourselves otherwise is to lie to ourselves.
Given all the above, it’s hard for me to conclude how the kind of pain I’m writing about could be anything but a good friend. To befriend such a friend, however, I must…
1/Feel it.
2/Listen to it.
And…
3/Respond to it accordingly.
In my earlier years, I was scolded often by my parents for “taking the path of least resistance.” Are you familiar with that phrase (and path)? I sure am, as I’ve, unfortunately, traversed such fruitless paths far too many times in my life.
In my more than 60 years of hoofing it around on this planet, I’ve concluded that the path of least resistance—the easy way out—is the path of loss. If I were really wanting to get my point across, I’d write, “The path of least resistance is the path of the loser.” I write this because everyone loses out when such destructive, multi-lane-highways are taken. In fact, the easy way out, far more often than not, results in missed opportunities, broken relationships, and shattered dreams.
Conversely, taking the path of greatest resistance (or “entering the iron”)—that is, taking the way that hurts, taking the way that requires something deep from within you—is "The Best Way." Ultimately (as well as paradoxically), the iron-soul-making path of greatest resistance is the path of greatest ease, growth, and illumination.
Jesus believed this. In fact, H-he often went out of H-his way to take the hard road. In looking to H-him, we have A Fabulous Model for how to truly live. All H-he asks is that we follow in H-his Footsteps. Know this: Jesus will never ask you to do anything that H-he H-himself hasn’t done already… and that H-he H-himself won’t do right there with you.
My friend... "Pain wants to be your friend; and it wants to be mine, too." (How’s that for a refrigerator magnet?)
And…
3/Respond to it accordingly.
In my earlier years, I was scolded often by my parents for “taking the path of least resistance.” Are you familiar with that phrase (and path)? I sure am, as I’ve, unfortunately, traversed such fruitless paths far too many times in my life.
In my more than 60 years of hoofing it around on this planet, I’ve concluded that the path of least resistance—the easy way out—is the path of loss. If I were really wanting to get my point across, I’d write, “The path of least resistance is the path of the loser.” I write this because everyone loses out when such destructive, multi-lane-highways are taken. In fact, the easy way out, far more often than not, results in missed opportunities, broken relationships, and shattered dreams.
Conversely, taking the path of greatest resistance (or “entering the iron”)—that is, taking the way that hurts, taking the way that requires something deep from within you—is "The Best Way." Ultimately (as well as paradoxically), the iron-soul-making path of greatest resistance is the path of greatest ease, growth, and illumination.
Jesus believed this. In fact, H-he often went out of H-his way to take the hard road. In looking to H-him, we have A Fabulous Model for how to truly live. All H-he asks is that we follow in H-his Footsteps. Know this: Jesus will never ask you to do anything that H-he H-himself hasn’t done already… and that H-he H-himself won’t do right there with you.
My friend... "Pain wants to be your friend; and it wants to be mine, too." (How’s that for a refrigerator magnet?)
Pain can and will be your friend if you let it—that is, if you let it teach you its wisdom. As Mr. Miyagi might have said to a young Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid: “Not Miyagi rule, Danielson. Rule of life.”
Amen.
Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment