Please let me try to explain.
I have come to the recent conclusion that we, as humans, associate something that is difficult or hard with being bad. There are TONS of things in life that are hard but are not inherently bad. In fact, I feel that the opposite is true. The things that are hard are typically GOOD. Maybe they don't feel good in the exact moment that you are experiencing them but with time and perseverance hard can be GOOD.
This current observation that hard is associated with bad has come to my attention during recent conversations.
Here is a quick snippet from current conversations:
Random person - "how's that whole commune thing goin'?"
Me - "it's hard."
Random person - "Gasp! Really? Ooh. Shoot. Sorry bout that. Ooopph. " (said with uncomfortable inflection)
The conversation goes on from here but I kinda chuckle inside each time because it strikes me as funny that we have trained ourselves to think that hard = bad.
Why do we think that the things that are hard in life should be avoided or purged with a fervor from our lives? In my personal experience the things that have been the most difficult have, when all is said and done, brought me the greatest joy and deepest reward. I believe wholeheartedly that the Kurtz Kommune is one of those things.
Let me list just a teeny-tiny sampling of some of the things in my life which have been difficult yet oh so worth every moment of hardship.
1. Marriage - this is quite possibly the hardest and best thing that I have ever done
2. Living in the Kurtz Kommune - quite possibly the 2nd hardest thing I've ever done and in all likelihood it will get harder before it gets easier
3. Forgiveness - of myself and of others who have hurt me. Incredibly, ridiculously hard and a continual work in progress.
4. Relationships of most any kind - Yes. Even friendship requires a lot of hard work
5. Training for athletic events - ouch! and freakin' amazing all at the same time!!!!
6. Owning a business - sometimes I think I'm a glutton for punishment because I've willingly owned and operated two businesses and will likely own many more before retirement. Business ownership is a seriously awesome learning/head bashing into the wall experience. No. Really. I Promise. It's amazing.
I could go on and on but I won't because I'm beginning to sense that you believe that reading this blog post is HARD and you're about to switch screens and move back over to Facebook. I can't blame you.
Anyhoo, When I look back I can see that if I had chose to flee from all the hard things in my life I would never have had the chance to experience the pure joy that was birthed out of those trials. I'm not kidding, joy and with that ultimate satisfaction has always resulted. If I had fled from the hard stuff I would have deprived myself of this gift. That would've really stunk.
Don't get me wrong here people. I'm not on a soap box. I'm telling you my story. I don't pretend to know yours. I also don't pretend for one second to think that I'm special because I have pushed through. 99% of it has not come from my own strength or will power or sheer awesomeness or whatever. My strength comes from The Lord, for when I have been my weakest, he has made me strong, not because of who I am, but because of who HE is. I am grateful for the hard parts of life and accept the challenge that there will be more of it in the future and, like the above, I will relish in the joy that I know is yet to come.
If you're in a season of hardship, I encourage you to push through because, like the Kommune, hard is GOOD, heck it can be better than good, it can be GREAT.
