Thoughts from Scary Close by Donald Miller.
I no longer believe love works like a fairy tale but like farming. Most of it is just getting up early and tilling the soil and then praying for rain.
But if we do the work, we just might wake up one day to find an endless field of crops rolling into the horizon. In my opinion, that’s even better than a miracle.
I’d rather earn the money than win the lottery because there’s no joy in a reward unless it comes at the end of a story. Some people think of it as the longing for God, and I think they’re on to something.
In my opinion, though, that longing will never be satisfied in our lifetime.In other words, I’m convinced every person has a longing that will never be fulfilled and it’s our job to let it live and breathe and suffer within it as a way of developing our character.
I don’t know if there’s a healthier way for two people to stay in love than to stop using each other to resolve their unfulfilled longings and, instead, start holding each other closely as they experience them.
I don’t mind the longing. The longing is beautiful.
I just don’t want to feel it alone anymore. I want to share it with Betsy.
Early followers of Jesus experienced pain and trial and frustration, hardly the romantic life. But they consoled each other and took care of each other and comforted each other in the longing.