If you are one of the fortunate souls who has never experienced the hardship of having something take from you, something stolen, count yourself among the blessed. For those of us who have played the part of a casualty, the experience ranges from inconvenient to traumatic and everywhere in-between.
In the spiritual realm, unfortunately all of us, every soul, has suffered loss. Jesus said it; our enemy comes to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10b), and these long days, now months, of the COVID-19 pandemic have done a number on all of us in some way, shape or form. But the enemy of our life with God doesn’t have to get away with such movement, nor the last word, if we don’t let him.
My friend John Eldredge has taught me many things over the past 20 years, and I’m not the only one. Many know him through his books, podcasts and blogs. Recently, we had the privilege of talking through what it might look like for kingdom people to recover what the enemy of our hearts and this fallen world has taken … Life.
It was John who wrote in his book Get Your Life Back:
“I had little capacity for relationships and the things that bring me life—a walk in the woods, dinner with friends, a cold plunge in a mountain lake. When I did steal a moment for something life-giving, I was so distracted I couldn’t enjoy it. Then I realized—it wasn’t a failure of love or compassion. These were symptoms of a soul pushed too hard, strung out, haggard, fried. My soul just can’t do life at the speed of smartphones. But I was asking it to; everybody’s asking theirs to.”
Join John and I as we explore more of what has been so subtly taken and to recover those parts of our hearts and lives during such challenging times so we can walk with God in a world that needs more men and women who are walking with God and free.
Life is the offer of the gospel and if you want it, you’re going to have to fight for it, recover it and learn to protect it. Join us. {eoa}
Michael Thompson is a Christian author, teacher, mentor and guide for the hearts of men and women. He is the founder of Zoweh Raleigh/ Durham, Raleigh area of North Carolina. He has been married to his wife, Robin, since 1990.They have three daughters: Ashley, Hannah, and Abbey and live in a redemptive community of friends and allies who work to experience Life together and offer Life to all who God brings across their path. Connect with them at zoweh.org.
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