I read an excerpt from Elton Trueblood's "The New Man for Our Time" that I'd like to share. It's lengthy, but well worth the read. He writes:
"When we begin to ask what the conditions of inner renewal are, we receive essentially the same answers from nearly all of those whom we have most reason to respect....In the conduct of one's own life, it is soon obvious, as many have learned the hard way, that empty freedom is a snare and a delusion. In following what comes naturally or easily, life simply ends in confusion, and in consequent disaster. Without the discipline of time, we spoil the next day the night before, and without the discipline of prayer, we are likely to end by having practically no experience of the divine-human encounter....We have not advanced very far in our spiritual lives if we have not encountered the basic paradox of freedom, to the effect that we are most free when we are bound. But not just any way of being bound will suffice; what matters is the character of our binding..."
All of the early church fathers saw themselves as "slaves" of Christ. That word repulses us in our modern culture, but not just for the terrible history of our country, but because it challenges the foundation of our American values - freedom and independence. Yet, if what Trueblood says is indeed true, freedom is not free - at least, not in its fullest form. Full freedom comes from being bound to the right things (or as a Christian, I would say the right person), and from being bound in the right way.
Trueblood also makes a statement with which I don't completely agree. He says, "However compassionate we may be with others, we dare not be soft or indulgent with ourselves." What is ironic about this statement, is that we can not be compassionate towards ourselves without the discipline of prayer that he speaks of earlier. I am usually hardest on myself, even when I am compassionate towards others.
Currently, I am in a season of seeking more joy as a Christian. I have this nasty habit of turning my relationship with Jesus into a duty that is joyless and depressing - perhaps it comes with being a professional Christian. But God keeps inviting me to delight in Him, as He delights in me (Psalm 37:4, Zephaniah 3:17). If I don't make time to do this, I fall back on duty and eventually fall back into depression.
But this pursuit of joy is not without suffering, or sadness. I love the new Pixar film, "Inside Out" because it poignantly emphasizes that true joy is not without sadness. Without embracing the places of sadness and disappointment in our lives, we can no longer access joy. My invitation to find joy in my Jesus, is in actuality an invitation to bring him all of my emotions, and rest in the security that He is in control in all circumstances. This kind of slavery is not the denouncement of everything we value as human - it is the ultimate fulfillment of what it means to be human, and where we find our deepest satisfaction.
