So, I started a new book last night called It's Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lysa Terkeurst. I'm only on Chapter 2, but I found so many good nuggets in the first chapter that I've decided to blog up a fake interview with Lysa so I can share them with you. The subheading on the book's cover explains the main idea: finding unexpected strength when disappointments leave you shattered.
Lisa: Thanks so much for being with us today, Lysa. I've already been so encouraged by the first chapter of your new book.
Lysa: My pleasure! And, can I just say I've been loving your blog and the way you bring us into the big and small things of your world.
Lisa: Oh, you're so sweet! Let's just jump in, shall we? Something I really resonated with in the introduction of your book is how you explained that we, as humans, are very attached to outcomes. Can you explain that idea a little for our readers?
Lysa: Well, I found along the way that I was trying so hard to control what my life looked like and the people who were part of my life. Without realizing it, you can imagine this perfectly crafted idea of what your life should look like and how it should turn out at the end. Maybe that could be getting a good education, finding a great, godly spouse, having 2.8 beautiful children who never get sick or misbehave and happily living to the end of your days in a beautiful home surrounded by love and free of major setbacks. When things are going well, you praise God for His goodness, but when things begin to unravel and life takes a sharp turn or two along the way toward heartbreak or illness, you question God's goodness and purposes. We're pretty set on things turning out like we want.
Lisa: That totally makes sense- I do this all the time! And, as you go on to explain, this can lead to debilitating disappointment. I thought your definition of disappointment was so simple, but spot-on. Can you share that?
Lysa: Well, I've defined disappointment as a feeling that things should be better than they are. And the reality is that we can trace this feeling back to the Garden of Eden. Before sin, we had a perfect, beautiful place to live that met all our physical needs. We had an unblemished relationship with our Creator, who met all our emotional and spiritual needs. And, for a short time, man and woman even walked in perfect harmony together. When sin shattered that picture, disappointment was created. Now nothing would ever be as good as that again. So, we still live between that Garden and the future, renewed Garden- that space of time when we will inevitably look at everything and everyone around us and wish it could be better.
Lisa: Wow, that sounds depressing! What do we do with this reality??
Lysa: Ha! I know, right? Well, there's some good stuff here. The truth is that my feelings and my faith will almost certainly come into conflict with each other. The wrestling with disappointment in yourself, in the people you love and in humanity is real, but there's a grace disguised there. It's so easy to look to these loves to satisfy us when there's really only One who can completely satisfy and never fail us. When these lesser love leave us wishing for more, we find that it is then we see our need for our Savior and perfect Father. Only then are we really free to recognize Him for all that He is for us in Christ.
Lisa: Man, this is good stuff. How 'bout we pause here and give our readers a chance to think about what we've shared. I know I could use a few minutes to sit with these ideas. Maybe we can talk some more tomorrow?
Lysa: You just let me know, Lisa. Until then, thanks for reading!!
(Thanks for taking time to read a made-up conversation. I hope I've expressed some of the real Lysa's perspectives and thoughts and that she'll never read my blog and be terribly annoyed.)
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