Inspiration

What inspires you? What idea gives you the power to take courageous actions that positively affect the future? I think all of us need inspiration. In difficult times inspiration is nearly as valuable as air. Inspiration makes us face our challenges with vigor. It gives us the sense that we can overcome whatever obstacles are in our path. It gives us cheerful resolve in the face of uncertainty. Inspiration is what keeps us going.

I freely admit it, I am not one who is given to easy optimism. That is not to say optimism is bad or even wrong. It is the “easy” in easy optimism that gets me. The optimism born of one who knows the difficulties that are sure to present themselves is vital and powerful. Because I know my temperament, I look for long term optimists. I look for reminders that darkness will not overcome light. One of my favorite reminders comes in Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. Handel, quoting the Revelation writes, “The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. And He shall reign forever and ever.” While I ordinarily have a very flat affect, I am moved in the deepest parts of my soul when I reflect on these words. These words remind me the God of history has not yielded His throne to the powers of darkness nor their prince, today’s news notwithstanding. When I see chaos, I can know God’s is already victorious. Jesus is Lord and the chaos will be defeated.

Lately, my family and I have become engrossed with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton. My favorite song in the musical is Right Hand Man. In it George Washington, played by Chris Jackson, shouts in response to the news of 32,000 British troops in NY Harbor, “. . .out gunned, out manned, outnumbered, out planned. . .” Of course, that was true. What Washington faced was the best equipped and trained army in the world massing in numbers that would make ordinary people quiver in fear. How he finally defeated them is utterly remarkable. Right Hand Man, and frankly all of Hamilton, is an inspirational reminder of what Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison, and the rest of the Founders accomplished. It is inspiring.

For many, the difficulties of the last year have been enough to grind them into an emotional powder. Cases of depression are skyrocketing. The anxiety pandemic is every bit as prevalent as the Covid pandemic. Many of us are self-medicating with food, alcohol, and substances. Many of us are feeling low. When we are low, we need inspiration even more. When we are in a long-term struggle, keeping the long-term future in front of us is often not enough to keep our spirits up. Simply listening to the Hallelujah Chorus or Hamilton on repeat will not suffice. We need something else. We need pointers. What I mean by “pointers” is we need little bits of evidence that the course we are on is working, or that we are making progress, or victory is assured. Frequently in Evangelical circles, people will talk about “confirmation.” What they mean is they have a sense that God is calling them to do something, and after they have prayed carefully about the situation they see something that confirms what they have come to believe. Sometimes, we just need pointers. I believe they are there. I believe if we pay careful attention, we will see them. Sometimes they come in a word. Sometimes they come in a report or an event. When they come, they inspire us to keep moving. When you are in a struggle, look for pointers. They can inspire you to keep going.

Over the last year, congregations have been struggling through an unprecedented crisis. My congregation is no exception. Frankly, it has been very, very hard on my congregation and on its staff. What if, however, I told you that our congregation is coming out of this struggle healthier, stronger, with deeper spiritual roots? What if I told you that many of our ministries are more effective now than before the pandemic? What if I told you my congregation has been growing even through the pandemic? All of those things are true. Knowing these facts inspires me go keep going even on days when I feel like my ideal vacation destination would be a coma.

I like to remind our church staff to celebrate the small victories along the way. When people were joining our church even when we were meeting in the parking lot for worship, those were victories. When the people of our congregation made sure our giving levels remained high enough to support our ministries through the pandemic, that was a victory. We have had many of them. When you are in a protracted struggle, noticing the small victories along the way reminds you of your progress. It also reminds you that the struggle is not permanent. Keep track of the little victories. They matter. They matter a lot.

In any struggle there will be difficult moments. Of course, that is true of life as well. When difficult moments occur, inspiration matters. So, find what inspires you and cling to it.