Tethered to Truth

It seems we’re beginning to emerge from the bubble of a global pandemic, yet it still doesn’t feel like freedom.

We’re tainted with fear, afraid to step outside and become infected.

We’re dripping with mental exhaustion because we’ve been isolated for so long. We’ve been starved of connection and support.

Our muscles have atrophied despite the fact we’ve had so much time to get fit, exercise, build our muscles.

We’ve forgotten how to connect.

We’re expected to resume normal contrary to our battle cries of “never going back to so rushed.” We’ve got so much to make up for.

Our spirits are worn out from the constant battle of social media and news outlets telling us what to think and how to think.

How do we re-enter this world?

We are so weary. It’s like we have disaster fatigue. Every time we turn around, it’s a new disaster: COVID has a(nother) new mutation, there’s political chaos abounding, tsunamis, murder hornets, an unstable stock market… You name it. We’ve seen it, and it’s all “unprecedented.”

If we’re honest, we like the comfort of the precedented things. It’s familiar, and we can deal with that even if it’s not an ideal situation. At least we know what to expect when things are “precedented.” Unfortunately, it seems like nothing these days is. We’re woefully unprepared to face the world, and we aren’t doing ourselves any favors.

We’ve retreated within ourselves, and we’ve sought comfort in whatever remains that is familiar. We’ve taken to apathy, hate, and ignorance as defense mechanisms. We’re self-centered and content with comfortable. To some degree, we’ve turned a blind eye to the symptoms of the world that have been exposed and we refuse to learn new things because we are so exhausted. We’ve allowed ourselves to believe the lie that it’s easier to remain ignorant and believe whatever we’re told than to do the work. We go with what we “know” because we are battle weary.

Unfortunately, we run into the problem that we can’t find a straight answer or get the truth. It’s tainted by defense and agenda.

The thing is: truth is truth. Our spins, our interpretations, our opinions don’t matter unless they are rooted in truth. If we want the world to know the truth, to be free from a constant state of weariness, we are going to have to do the hard work. We have to engage in discussion and listen - not just hear. These are the hard and holy things required of us upon re-entry to a scarred and scared world. This is the only way we fight against the footholds of the enemy who’s playground is ignorance, apathy, hate, and self-centeredness.

Our weariness will fade when we do the hard and holy work of battle. We may remain tired, and we will definitely be caught by weariness, but when we do the work, it pays off. Our fear fades, we remember how to connect, we see our physical strength return, and our mental exhaustion is lightened.

We are tethered to Truth, and there we find rest.