Disillusionment

Having no expectations....... I have come to understand this attitude important to contentment. When I have great expectations, I often end up with great disappointment. When I refuse to let expectations build, I am more able to accept any outcome. If the outcome is discouraging, my heart doesn't have so far to fall. And if the outcome is gratifying, my lack of expectation doesn't make it any less pleasing.

Maintaining the attitude while avoiding the slip into cynicism is sometimes tough however. I want to have a sense of hope; I don't want to feel negative and sarcastic. Still, when I focus on keeping my expectations low, I sometimes find myself in that very muck.


And so, I was grateful to come upon Oswald Chambers' reflections on the subject. The July 30th reading in My Utmost for His Highest is entitled "The Teaching of Disillusionment." Chambers considers a passage from the second chapter of John. Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Passover. While there, many people witnessed his miracles and believed in him. "But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person" (John 2:24-25). In other words, Jesus held no expectations about these people. He knew their nature and understood that many were drawn to him simply out of a fascination with his miracles. He knew that although they were following him today, they may abandon him tomorrow. And so, he simply did not let himself be vulnerable with these people. He didn't get angry. He didn't act or verbalize disappointment with them. He simply didn't "entrust himself" to them. He didn't embrace any illusions about the situation - he was disillusioned.

Here are the insightful words of Oswald Chambers:

Disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions. However, though no longer deceived, our experience of disillusionment may actually leave us cynical and overly critical in our judgment of others. But the disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the point where we see people as they really are, yet without any cynicism or any stinging and bitter criticism. Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief, or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful and good, or it is evil, malicious, and cowardly.

Refusing to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering of human life. And this is how that suffering happens - if we love someone, but do not love God, we demand total perfection and righteousness from that person, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; yet we are demanding of a human being something which he or she cannot possibly give. There is only one Being who can completely satisfy to the absolute depth of the hurting human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is so obviously uncompromising with regard to every human relationship because He knows that every relationship that is not based on faithfulness to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord's confidence in God, and in what God's grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person. If our trust is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone.

Don't refuse to be disillusioned as you carpe your diem!

Joshua Trees

Matthew and I visited Joshua Tree National Park this summer. I found myself attributing personalities and all sorts of other qualities to each unique specimen. It's an amazing place full of artistry by the Master. I know they're just trees but well, I was thinking, feeling, and seeing people I know as well as the person I have been, I am, and I hope to be.

Sometimes I have these introspective experiences. Other times I just say "cool trees, look at these spikey stick-out thingees." Sometimes I want to think about things like meaning and purpose. Other times I want to just pick the wild sage, rub it between my fingers, and enjoy the aroma. It's all good.

Sometimes my life is so full of the every-day that I am conflicted. I'd love to reflect on the profound but I'm distracted by the urgent. I'm overwhelmed and feel a sense of expediency. I prioritize, making the "best" use of scare time and resources. In these moments, I am practical and I "put first things first."

Here is a photo I call "Mentor." I see the multifaceted, tall, strong Joshua Tree and the small little fellow next to it. I feel this urge to say to the younger, "I hope you know how lucky you are," "Never forget these days," and "Don't ever take this season of life for granted." I want to tell him what a privilege it is to sit at the feet of the wise elder. I want her to know that this sort of opportunity is rare. I want the older to feel appreciated. But I also want to say to the elder, "Be kind," "Remember that you were once young like she is now," and "Let him be the unique person he was intended to be." I want the younger to feel appreciated.

Above is a series I call "Perspective." These photos demonstrate how the angle makes a difference. If I'm looking at an entire tree (or person... situation... plan...) I see different things than when I'm looking at a small piece of the picture. This reminds me to be slow to pass judgment, to realize that there are other points of view, and to appreciate how valuable a group perspective can be.

And........ it makes me grateful for the people in my life who are slow to pass judgment, for those who realize that I might have a different point of view, and for others who appreciate my contribution to a group perspective.

Next, "It Is Finished" are a couple of photos I took of a Joshua Tree that was "shedding" the unnecessary. I suppose it caught my eye because I wonder just how expendable I really am. I'm certain that the answer is ..... "quite." God is certainly glad to have me on board but make no mistake, He is God. He can accomplish his purposes with or without me. That's ok. I am part of His big picture. I don't need to BE the big picture.

 

 

There are more pictures and more stories from my trip but here's the main thing....... when was the last time you looked at Joshua Tree Equivalents and considered something beyond the cool sharp spikey thingees? Do it again soon.

Carpe the Diem,

Rebecca

Carpe the Diem

Carpe the Diem ~ Seize the Day ..... I'm drawn to this idea mostly because I wish that I did it more. It's a kick-in-the-pants reminder to myself about not procrastinating so much - especially when it comes to things I actually care about. And so, I begin today, carpe-ing one of my diems.

I sometimes have an inkling of a thought that I want to explore. I want to think about it, write about it, dialogue about it, re-work it, and sometimes discard it. It is this process that I am drawn to. I don't always care about the outcome. And so, in this venue, I'll write and look forward to some dialogue. That is the first reason I am here.

My other reason is this - I'd love to think that are others out there who will take the bait and begin to carpe their own diems. You might not give a rip about writing, or taking rabbit trails of the mind through murky philosophical paths that have no possibility for resolution. That might drive you nuts as much as it energizes me. That's fine.

But maybe there is some other pursuit you've been procrastinating. What do you want to "seize"? Tell me about it. Maybe you will  help my effort to motivate others to do the same. I'm just looking for some evidence that I, and others, can manage to think just a bit outside of our wakeup-gotowork-comehome-watchtv selves - just once in a while.

Then, who knows what will happen - if we all manage to reach just a bit beyond ourselves - just now and then..... I mean... I mean (to edit and mis-quote a famous philosopher out of context).... "if just one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick..... And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think..... And if three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people....they may think it's an organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day (carpe-ing their diems)... friends, friends, they may think it's a movement!"