The Art of Avoidance

The Art of Avoidance

How much of our time in this life is spent trying to avoid pain, heartache, disappointment? How many people run to the doctor to get a pill that will numb them so they don't have to feel? How many run to a vice of some sort when they feel the pressures of life coming down, or when the ugly and painful side of life rears its head? How many people isolate and imprison themselves so they don't have to experience the ups and downs of life? They run and run, only to be overcome and overwhelmed by more pain and lower lows.

How many of these people are Christians? 

How much of this describes you? 

How much describes me?

The art of avoidance is a deceitful and destructive practice. When we seek to avoid the pains of life, that which makes us uncomfortable, then we miss out on life. We defeat ourselves when we seek a chemical, or some vice, to help us cope, to help us escape and avoid life's natural occurrences. 

Think of Jesus at the cross. They offered up to Him a mind and pain numbing agent, but He would not drink. He chose instead to take on death, that cruel and painful death of the cross, with His wits about Him. To numb Himself would run counter to His nature, you know that and I know that. 

Look at how He prayed! Friends, brethren, how do you and I pray? Do we pray like our Savior? Let it be the case with all of us that we run to the Father instead of a vice, instead of a dependency or crutch. Face this life with your wits about you and your soul intact. Live your life realizing that pain will come (whether emotional, physical, or otherwise) and we must respond to it as our Lord would. 

So much of my single life was spent trying to avoid getting hurt or hurting others, even at times running to a crutch, but when I finally took a chance, laid it all on the line, I succeeded. The pains of life hurt, the wounds cut deep, but the joy found in the end is much sweeter than anything we can imagine. I found the love of my life because I stepped up rather than run away; I kicked down the barriers rather than build them up higher. 

Live life completely, risk it all for love (first by loving God completely, then loving others); run your race with endurance and leave nothing in the tank at the end of each day. Do this and see how your life changes. Turn your life over to the Lord and live with courage, knowing that whatever might come, good or bad, you can face it with God. There's no need to run FROM life when we're running TO heaven; as we tread down the narrow road on our way home to heaven, every ounce of pain that comes will surely be worth it all. 

Let come what may, our God is the mighty Creator of all! We don't need to any longer try to avoid or numb ourselves to the pains of life, our Lord has overcome this world and we're walking in His footsteps (Jn.16:33)! Let's get out there and live this life, this blessing from God. Do all things to His glory, let's shine these lights in this dark world of sin; let's take the battle to satan today! 

Finally, here's a hymn to remind us where we should go rather than running to a bottle, a chemical, a vice; the only thing that makes sense is to go to the Lord with all things. When we do this, we can overcome this world and anything it throws at us because we serve a Mighty God. Come on friends, we can do this! Face this day, face this life, face the pain, face the hard things with your wits about you. Let's get on with the business of living today! No excuses. No crutches. Just simply walk with the Lord. 

Where Could I Go (But To The Lord)
Living below, in this old sinful world
Hardly a comfort can afford
Striving alone, to face temptation's sword
Where could I go but to the Lord?

Neighbors are kind, I love them everyone
We get along in sweet accord
But when my soul, needs manna from above
Where could I go but to the Lord?

Life here is grand, with friends I love so dear
Comfort I get from God's own word
Yet when I face this chilling hand of death
Where could I go but to the Lord?

Where could I go, oh where could I go?
Seeking a refuge for my soul
Needing a friend, to help me in the end
Where could I go, but to the Lord?