Why We Choose Misery

What do you carry with you today from your past? Some of us carry happy memories, character growth from hard times, and wisdom from experience. Others carry painful memories, character wounds, and regrets. Most of us carry both.

One of the big, overarching themes of the Bible is the idea of flourishing. Words such as shalom, salvation, liberation, and restoration all point to this idea: God wants all people to flourish, and also work for the flourishing of others.

The difficulty with flourishing, however, is it can be hard and painful work to get there. So hard, in fact, that many of us give up.

The most important story in the history of Israel is the Exodus, when God rescued his people from slavery in Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land of Canaan (the stories of the 10 Plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the giving of the 10 Commandments are all part of the Exodus story).

This story is flourishing in action - God taking his people from captivity and destitution, and giving them freedom and an abundant life in a land "flowing with milk and honey."  However, Israel was not always a joyous or willing participant.

Shortly after Israel fled Egypt, they reached the shores of the Red Sea and found themselves stuck between the water and Pharaoh's approaching army. The people became frightened and lamented to Moses: 
 

"What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Isn’t this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

~Exodus 14:11-12

Israel was on its way to a flourishing land and a flourishing life with God and others, but in this moment of fear and difficulty they were ready to give up the journey. Moses replied: 
 

“Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that he will accomplish for you today... The Lord will fight for you, and you must be quiet.”

~Exodus 14:13-14

During the Exodus journey, there were many times Moses or God himself had to woo, command, or somehow convince Israel to keep moving toward a flourishing life. 

The principle at work in this story is the same principal at work in our own journeys from a painful past (or present) to a flourishing life:

We often prefer a miserable past to an unknown future with God.

Almost all of us carry baggage. This baggage can be trauma, anxiety, addictions, unforgiveness (of others or self), anger and other harmful character traits, physical injury, deep emotional wounds, paralyzing regret, and more.

It is normal for human beings living in a broken world to experience these things. And often, these things appear for a reason. For example, in traumatic situations, our body locks away pain and memories in order to protect us from future pain.

But perhaps they are no longer needed, and when we cling to something we no longer need, it robs us of joy and being fully alive. 

I equate clinging to things we no longer need, or carrying on with habits we know cause us and others harm, to sitting in a small, dark, windowless room. It's not enjoyable.

The issue for us, however, is that although the room we are in may be uncomfortable, and although it may be harmful to us or others, we know it well and thus (incorrectly) consider it safe. We say it's safe because we know the enemies present in the room, but in reality it's not safe, because it wounds us and keeps us captive.

In giving us the promise of flourishing, God offers to take us from that tiny room into a beautiful, expansive, lighthearted, smile-inducing... ??

Those two question marks represent the problem. We don't know how it will look. God says it will be good, but it's unknown to us. Thus, some of us choose to stay in the place where we know our hurts and enemies rather than walk the scary, adventurous, probably difficult path with God to a flourishing life.

PAUSE and REFLECT: Where might God be inviting you to step toward a flourishing life? Are things you can let go of - past hurts, present habits, or future fears - so you can embrace the unknown adventure with God? He promises it will be good. He will lead us to a beautiful place. But he will never force us.

You can be where you need to be, but if you're ready to step out of the windowless room, God will take you by the hand and guide you to a flourishing life. It will be hard at times, maybe even scary, because the future is unknown, but God promises his presence to help you and his love to guide you, should you so desire to be fully alive.