Defenseless

Defenseless

- By Lisa Fahey

Do you have circumstances in your life that feel like a desert experience?

I have walked through seasons like this before — seasons where I could not defend myself. Seasons where my intentions were misunderstood and I was not given the opportunity to explain my heart.

Jesus was in this situation, too, when it came time for Him to carry the Cross. Traps were set, and no matter what He did, He knew the Cross would ultimately bring God’s glory.

That is something to hang on to when your Lenten season feels lonely. There is glory on the other side for those who keep their eyes on Jesus.

Sometimes it is circumstantial. You are simply going along in your life, minding your own business, when, out of nowhere, a situation arises that you did not create and cannot control.

You pray. You try to mind your own business. You try to respond with integrity. And yet you find yourself swept up in the crossfire of circumstances you never would have put yourself in.

The hardest part is not being able to explain your intentions. It is being defenseless. It is knowing your heart and not being able to clarify it.

I am often baffled, unsure what to say or how to react. My first response is to tuck my head into my shell and not come out until it is nice out again. To withdraw. To stay quiet. To protect myself.

But this is Lent — our desert experience.

And deserts expose what we normally cover. They strip away control. They teach us what it means to trust when we cannot fix or defend.

Each year, this seems to be part of the journey — so maybe we are doing something right. The Cross is not easy, but it brings growth.

You can isolate yourself and play it safe. Or you can trust and live your life out loud.

There is no hiding from the Cross when you are a follower of Jesus Christ.

And there is no Cross that does not carry glory on the other side.