Failure's Clutches...

It's an epidemic. It's sweeping around campus like a bird looking for its prey. It shows no mercy and consumes all who hesitate for a mere moment or have a pinch of doubt.

I'm sick of this. I'm tired of seeing strong, Godly people falter under enormous pressures we can't escape...mounds and mounds of homework piling up on our desks, falling behind in things in which we used to excel, arriving late to important meetings, the heartache of splitting time between our friends and our significant others and work and play, having to deal with many life-and-death situations--all needing every bit of our attention--and being able to do nothing about them falling precariously to the "death" side, the fear of not measuring up and not being good enough, the immense pressure of pleasing people and impressing professors and bosses and friends and acquaintances and superiors and cracking under the pressure...

It's all got to stop.

I've been seeing this hurting behind the eyes of many, especially this week. Very close friends of mine are terrified of being inadequate in the eyes of those they wish to impress...sometimes, this includes God. One friend in particular said to me that she thought that even if God came down right now and said "You are fine. I love you" she would still feel like there is so much more she could be doing! It's a sad truth that plagues all of our lives.

Jenna and I were talking today about all of it and how it's going around and hurting those we care about (and us, too) and she said that she thinks that "Satan is trying to rob people of enjoying life." I knew right when she spoke it that it was true, far truer than any of us are willing to believe or even acknowledge. We've seen it in the faces of the beautiful woman who is crying tears of brokenness or in the man that doesn't know how to move on from the heavy feeling of failure on his shoulders.

I don't know how to fix this or what to do while we watch it all happen, but be aware of the hurt. Don't be afraid to encourage those you love and keep a firm two feet in your foundation of your love of Christ and his love for you.