A man I read once in a while named Brian Morykon recently wrote something that really stayed with me. He said:
“Lately I’ve become aware that on nearly a daily basis, when a hard situation comes my way or the monotony of life chafes my soul, I begin to long to be somewhere other than where I am. Sometimes these longings sound quite spiritual. So when I spot one, I do my best to hold it up to the light of Christ and ask whether the longing is more an invitation to move toward something good or a temptation to escape from something unpleasant. When it turns out to be the latter—a temptation to escape—it’s an opportunity to return in that moment to active surrender: ‘God, you’re here. Help me to be here, too, and see where you’re at work.’”
That resonates with me. When life gets difficult and wears me down, I find myself wanting to be anywhere else. Sometimes the way of escape can even sound noble on the surface, but sometimes they are more about getting away than about following God.
Can I encourage you, and remind myself as well, not to run from difficulty? Sometimes staying put is exactly what faithfulness looks like. James tells us that the testing of our faith produces perseverance, and perseverance brings maturity. Not every hardship is meant to be avoided. Some are meant to be walked through with God.
So, when you feel that pull to escape, take a moment. Ask the Spirit, is this a holy invitation or just a way out? And if it’s the latter, let this be your prayer: “God, you’re here. Help me to be here too. May my trials not become a temptation, but a transformation.”