Take a look at this video by Switchfoot. They sing about children from England who are whisked away into the magical land of Narnia where they find their true home and their true selves. When we watch these sorts of stories, we feel connected to something that we yearn for as well. We yearn to find our true home and our true self - the dramatic, larger-than-life sorts of people we were meant to be.
Once I realized that each moment in real life is more dramatic than any movie, play, or novel ever written, I finally realized that reality was worth engaging. So often we wonder if anyone notices the lives we lead, but I believe God travels great distances to gather angels who long to see our stories unfold. I believe He is like a director or writer who wants to show off His cast and characters.
Every time we choose to have an uncomfortable conversation with a spouse, an extended family member, or a friend, we enter the dramtic themes of the heavens. These sorts of uncomfortable conversations include the following: admiting wrongdoing and asking forgiveness, addressing a wrong done to us, sharing with someone about how they made us feel uncomfortable, speaking words of affirmation and love which can feel so weird, setting a boundary as needed, sometimes extending a boundary, asking for help, or frankly any sort of way in which we move towards others emotionally, relationally, or intimately. These are all situations in which we have to choose to move towards things that feel scary or at least uncomfortable.
When we move towards each other in these ways, we break all sorts of unwritten rules which try to convince us that we shouldn't take such risks. This is called shame. I love the Chronicles of Narnia, but every time we risk esposure, vulnerability, and potential harm, we enter something deeper and more powerful than the land of Narnia. We enter the kingdom of God. The stories of our lives are being viewed by the heavens themselves. When we choose to lead sorts of lives, we finally connect with these Switchfoot lyrics and think to ourselves, "maybe this is home".
At least for now.
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