Upheaval...and Resurrection
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
I’ve noticed a lot of people sharing their word for 2020. Gratitude. Growth. Impact. Balance. Some have chosen a word that encapsulates their hopes or reminds them of their goals. Many people I know pray for a word from the Lord. My husband and I both did this separately in our quiet times. He came back with a word that I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear. Upheaval: a violent or sudden change or disruption to something. Well, if that doesn’t throw a wrench into things…
The funny thing was it fit perfectly with my word. Resurrection: a rising again, as from decay, disuse, etc.; revival. This is a word that seems more palatable. When we hear ‘resurrection’ or ‘revival’ we can easily embrace what that may mean in our own life or in the world. But upheaval? Not so much.
But stop to think for a moment. What must happen in order for resurrection to occur? Something must die. There’s the upheaval. If we never experience upheaval, there’s nothing to resurrect. And let’s face it, we all have things in our lives that we need to drop — things that need to die. So too with our world. There are things that desperately need to change. Violent or sudden change isn’t fun, but sometimes it is necessary.
As 2019 came to a close, I was feeling pretty content with my life. Certainly, there were still dreams waiting to be realized, uncertainty about the year ahead, and the weight of loved ones struggling, but overall there was peace in my heart and excitement about the future. But the moment 2020 started, I felt like I was given a glimpse of what upheaval looks like. A new level of global instability was crouching right inside the new year and sprang upon us as soon as we changed the calendar. And it’s an election year in the United States, too. Oy!
Even in my own home things feel different. My daughter is recovering from a New Year’s Eve tonsillectomy (how’s that for a fun way to ring in the New Year?), and it’s been hard to see her in so much pain. We spent the first couple days of 2020 watching a our son’s stress level rise as he worked to meet college application deadlines. And right now I’m sitting in my kitchen listening to the sound of sledgehammers demolishing our bathroom. (Hmm…maybe it’s time to head to a coffee shop.) But in all of these things, something new will rise.
My daughter will recover and her health will be better than it’s been in a long time. No more fevers, fatigue, and chronic pain. Hallelujah! My son will ultimately find the right school and start a new journey into adulthood, discovering his passion and pursuing his dreams. And in eight short weeks our decimated bathroom will be brand new. In order for all of these things to happen, there must first be change. My daughter had to say goodbye to her tonsils, my bathroom must be ripped apart, and my son will ultimately need to leave home.
Change isn’t always easy, but it is necessary. And even on the world stage, sometimes violent change (even as we pray for peace) can lead to reawakening. It is my prayer for 2020 that although we may experience upheaval, we will keep our hearts set on the resurrection that is to come. May we never doubt that better things lie ahead. May we always know the hope of Christ!
Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:18-19)
God is good. And he is with us through it all. For that we can be thankful. Where are you looking for resurrection in 2020?
Photo credit: Kristel Hayes
