“Reality” can be a slap in the face, a splash of cold water, a wake up call that sounds like your alarm come 6:30 am – something you want to smack to make go away.
Some people like to say you need a dose of reality, but really what reality are we talking about?
REALITY? REALLY?
The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11 (an often-quoted verse) “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Gosh. That’s a lot of promise. Especially for a 20-something who hasn’t got it all quite figured out yet, and perhaps living a reality that isn’t exactly what we thought it would be.
Thankfully, God is all about reality. His reality, which he says is to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you “hope and a future”. As an adult in transition it is often hard to believe these words. It sounds more like a wish list, or some little carrot a hiring manager throws out at you, like the phrase “upward mobility,” to get you to sign the dotted line to the worst job you can possibly ever dream of.
Interesting enough, the context in which God spoke these words, were to a battered and captive people called the Israelites in the midst of a 70-year captivity to a foreign country. Talk about a bad deal. And still in the midst of this captivity, God had the audacity to tell them, “I have plans to prosper you, and not to harm you.”
Sometimes our reality feels like there is no way out. There is no light at the end of the tunnel.
The reality of the now, feels like it will be inescapable later.
ONE OF THOSE FRIENDS
Do you ever hang out with one of those strange, confused people who never seem phased by their current situation? They lost their job, dog, and favorite pair of sunglasses all in the same week and yet they still have an actual smile on their face ? An authentic-I’m going to be fine-look.
This strange, weird person’s reality seems different than what is currently happening in their life. Their hope is not based on external problems, but on something internal, something permanent, something based more in the future than what’s currently going on in the present.
My guess is that they’re holding on to a DIFFERENT reality. God’s reality. The promise that says, “yes, your dog died, you lost your job, and your favorite TV show that you normally watch to drown out the problems of the world, was cancelled. But even if you can’t see the light at the end of the dark and lonely tunnel, your Father can. And he can’t wait to show you how crazy he is about you. He can’t wait to reveal that EVEN THIS reality, will somehow turn into good.”
WHAT IS YOUR REALITY?
So maybe the current situation you’re in really isn’t the dose of reality you need. Maybe you need to take a huge spoonful of a truer reality based on the dreams and vision inside of you. Maybe where you are headed is more important than where you are at. Maybe it’s simply a choice each of us makes. Which reality is more real?
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I have a really hard time seeing past the present reality to what I feel is my future. Anyone feel the same?
Article written by Paul and Naomi Angone
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