Jill Briscoe tells of a burdened and discouraged missionary who wrote to her. Halfway through her term in the mission-field, she was ready to go home. When Jill visited her home, she observed that everything had been packed into cases. Astonished, Briscoe asked the missionary if she was ready to leave, only to discover that the lady had never unpacked since her arrival.
This story resonates deeply with me. I know that since I returned from South Africa, I have failed to unpack emotionally. I've been figuratively sitting on my suitcases at the station, waiting for a train to arrive to take me on to the next phase. And every day that passes here has only brought discouragement and a further sense of failure.
And so, ladies and gentlemen, I am unpacking. Everything within me revolts - this isn't a place I want to stay in necessarily, but I think I need to stop surviving it and start living in it. Clearly, I'm not propelling myself any faster to the next phase by my anxiety.
I need to start unpacking.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
unpacking
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2 comments:
I'm praying for you... and I wish I could be there more, but, alas, I have my own place to go to and settle down in and unpack for a while.
thank you lovely.
yes, go, unpack! while the selfish part of me is sad you are gone, i'm so, so pleased that the way ahead is clearer for you.! xx
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