We enjoyed a wonderful week away with family at the DisneyWorld Resort, but it is also good to be back home. Any of you who know me well, know that have a bit of a cynical side. I must admit that that part of me didn't take a vacation last week. I do want to admit upfront that I did thoroughly enjoy my time with family and my experiences at all four Disney theme parks. That being said, let me share with you one thought coming out of my week.
There is a song that you will often hear, especially at the Magic Kingdom. Here are a few lines from the chorus:
Just believe and if you imagine,
Just believe and your dreams will come true.
While these words make for great fairy tales, they don't always work out in real life. Unfortunately, I believe that many people, often followers of Jesus, apply this idea to life. But life is not a fairy tale. Dreams don't always come true. We don't always get what we imagine if we just believe. Real life doesn't work that way.
In the real world, people sin. In the real world, people let us down. In the real world, there is pain and suffering.
This doesn't mean we don't imagine. It doesn't mean we can't dream. But it does mean we must acknowledge we live in a broken and suffering world. We cannot escape this world. Rather, we must embrace the reality of this world and encourage one another along the way.
I like stories with a happy ending. I will even sometimes cry at the end. But, I cannot allow myself to buy into the lie these stories seem to convey that everything will also turn out the way we want.
I try to live life by the following mantra: "Hope for the best, plan for the worst." I like to call it cautious optimism. Not only does it shape my outlook on life; it shapes my approach to prayer.
When I pray with an attitude of "Just believe and if you imagine, just believe and your dreams will come true," then I am setting myself up for disappointment. God is not like a theme park built with decorations and facades. God was upfront with the realities of life. God lived these realities in the person of Jesus Christ.
Because of God's willingness to live in our world, we have the ultimate promise of a place where there will be no tears and no sorrow. We live in the tension between what is and what is to come. But until that day comes when we experience the return of Christ, we must live in the reality of our world. Our prayer life must balance the brokenness of today with the promise yet to come. That's not a fantasy; it's the reality of God's faithfulness in a world waiting to be redeemed.
shine!
Jason
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