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27:18 'The White Room'


“How are you?”
For those who may attempt to be courageous and compassionate enough to ask this good question, allow me to give you fair warning, you may want to brace yourself to carry a burden. The answers from the people you ask may include the following, 
“I am tired…”
“I am sad….”
“I am angry at God …”
“I am giving up…”
“I am worried…”
“I feel hopeless…”
“I feel alone… “
“I feel like I am losing my mind …”
A lot is going on at the moment. And while it is easy to push each other to praise despite our feelings, as I did in my previous blog, I am aware of the reality that sometimes good words spoken in tough times can be more toxic than healing. We may expect people to brave out this pandemic and quite a number may be. However, while hope is said to be a working strategy, on the day when the crack hits bottom, breaking is a strategy too.
“How are you?”
We ask this question pretty flippantly these days, with an expected “I’m fine”, or “I’m good” to conclude the sentence. I wonder though, what would be the response to this question, “How are you really doing?” Or if I am to put more emphasis, I would ask, “How are you doing on the inside?” The lies may begin to die making room for the truth to arise. In that moment, you may witness the beginning or resumption of a journey that entails shovelling one’s way out of sadness, trouble or pain that may have buried them alive. Like the friction between sticks to create fire, our true emotions begin to leak. And a warm blooded creature in a white room is about to splash the walls with a whole lot of venom.
Image from artist.com; painting by Irini Karpikioti

I believe it is important that each of us master a little more patience with people. Respect the other person’s experiences by giving them time to unravel their own way. Bearing one another’s burdens requires that we give each other permission to spill out the bad and the downright ugly. Allow people to express imperfection without condemnation. It was not supposed to come out perfectly for it to be accepted.
There is a love language that allows one to bear another’s agony without castigation. A love language called ‘listening’. It entails coming alongside those who may be at their worst, reminding them that “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17). Psalm 18:6 puts it so well, “In my distress I called to the Lord, I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him into his ears.” It is clear that God allows us to experience our feelings, both the good ones and the not so good. In case you feel as though you need to downplay your reality, I am here to tell you that you are allowed to feel both the joys and the pains of your season. God allows it, and He can handle it. And to those who encounter such people, allow them, with a non-judgmental patience. Let them paint their white rooms with the imperfections that give God a platform to not only hear, but deliver us.
The season at hand is a sensitive one. Let us not dehumanize those around us that may be going through this pandemic with a mixture of doubt, fear, anger, sadness and every other possible emotion that could be triggered. It is in seasons such as this that the magnificence of God’s love can be shown through us, if we are willing to see His people through His eyes. All this, as we still maintain the strategy of hope, that one day the hurting, broken, confused, the tired, will be able to stretch their bones and widen their smiles again.
©namwano
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