I love your framing of this as the new prosperity gospel. Self-help productivity culture makes promises that just can't be fulfilled, and I'm tired of carrying the weight of those expectations. The Ignatian idea of detachment has been so helpful for me in this area.
It's such tempting concept--that we could just follow a few methods and lifestyle changes and get the life we dream of. But that's just not how the world functions. Very thankful for Jesus promising to be *with* us in the suffering we won't be completely removed from this side of heaven. ❤️
Thank you for this. It’s so timely for so many of us. I’ve thought often on it, as I’ve mostly been a friend of women drawn into these things without getting into them myself. It has always seemed very incompatible with Christianity, both in its promise of blessing if you do xyz (prosperity gospel was the perfect category for this), and also in its materialism (fix these external factors and nutrition, etc, to effect a spiritual change). At the same time, we are surrounded by a largely gnostic American Christianity that completely ignores the body — so these strategies seem like a good reaction, until they’re just…reactionary.
The comfort I find is knowing that Jesus suffered, in his entire earthly life, for my sake. When I suffer, and things don’t get fixed, I can remember I’m just existing as a sinful human in a sinful world, and God took it upon Himself, too. Now my suffering produces glory, so I don’t have to be afraid of it.
Thank you for writing this. Life is just hard, and while we can certainly make choices to counter some of it, it's ok to just sit with those difficulties and admit it's hard.
"...it's ok to just sit with those difficulties and admit it's hard." Totally agree. And doing that allows us to give ourselves grace and extend it to others. ❤️
Yeah, this. All of this. Thank you for putting this into words, today was the perfect day for me to read it 😊 I need God's healing and peace as much and more than I need Medicine's.
(likewise, I'm not saying that antidepressants and counselling can't be healing miracles in their own right, I just needed to remember to put the Healer first!)
I needed this today. I’m in my late 40s and most of my 30s was spent pregnant or breastfeeding while I was being consumed by anxiety that I was doing it all wrong, I wasn’t doing enough, I was ruining my children, I’m not worthy of all this goodness, I suck as a human/wife/mother.
I needed something to hang on to. I tried returning to my Catholic faith and roots, but I couldn’t draw any comfort from that community, it just dredged up a bunch of old memories of not being good enough for God, my parents, anyone. The “spiritual” community has something correct in the personal responsibility and setting boundaries aspect, but it ignores the problem of Evil and reduces everything down to “just not there yet.” The lack of objectivity leaves it rudderless and forever malleable to wishes that will never be horses.
I’m tired. I don’t need to be fixed. I just want to be. I still consider myself a Catholic, and something else I cannot define. I seek after the great Mystics and their deep search for God in the purity of nature.
I understand not feeling "at home" in the faith community you grew up in. I've found that seeking Jesus out for myself in His word is what brings the most comfort these days. Though it doesn't alleviate the suffering completely. Stopping to pray that you feel wrapped in peace today.
“Maybe you can turn off that podcast about the physical effects of trauma on the body just go for a walk underneath 100 year old trees for today?” This… 👏🏼👏🏼 Sometimes I need to let go of trying to fix my trauma and responses to it and just let it go for a bit. 💗
I know so many women in this 30-40 range who I've talked to who are just resonating with the word "weary," and this was exactly what I needed to hear: "You're not doing anything wrong. it's just hard." Ugggggg ... I constantly struggle against this idea that the ultimate goal in life is comfort and happiness, and it feels like such a personal failure when that's not the circumstance when that's not true at all. It's truly just the circumstances. Thank you for this today.
Circumstances completely out of our control have knocked us flat so many times in the last 10 years that I've learned to have more compassion for myself and others. I'm glad to know this post connected with your heart today!
*Standing Applause* Yep. Life is hard; no one gets out alive. We do the best we can and yes we can look back and think we should've done better, but we did the best we could with what we had at that time.
Well said Breanne and this definitely resonates with me. I feel like much of my life was spent chasing the next “magic bullet”, a quick fix or health hack that was the missing piece I needed to make it all work out. Of course, it existed only in my imagination. The answers were always within and Above, while I chased many things which were, even if helpful, “meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
On a side note, I am continually impressed by your writing and wisdom and absolutely believe you deserve (and will have) a much wider audience and impact. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us.
Thanks for reading, Chris. Life is so much more nuanced and layered than any one solution could offer, but it doesn't mean that don't tempt us at times!
So much wisdom here! Keep preaching!
SO GOOD. I needed this reminder. I put way too much pressure on myself.
The overwhelm and anxiety that this onslaught of life hacks and “intentional living” advice has caused 😮💨😮💨
Sheesh, yes
I love your framing of this as the new prosperity gospel. Self-help productivity culture makes promises that just can't be fulfilled, and I'm tired of carrying the weight of those expectations. The Ignatian idea of detachment has been so helpful for me in this area.
It's such tempting concept--that we could just follow a few methods and lifestyle changes and get the life we dream of. But that's just not how the world functions. Very thankful for Jesus promising to be *with* us in the suffering we won't be completely removed from this side of heaven. ❤️
Thank you for this. It’s so timely for so many of us. I’ve thought often on it, as I’ve mostly been a friend of women drawn into these things without getting into them myself. It has always seemed very incompatible with Christianity, both in its promise of blessing if you do xyz (prosperity gospel was the perfect category for this), and also in its materialism (fix these external factors and nutrition, etc, to effect a spiritual change). At the same time, we are surrounded by a largely gnostic American Christianity that completely ignores the body — so these strategies seem like a good reaction, until they’re just…reactionary.
The comfort I find is knowing that Jesus suffered, in his entire earthly life, for my sake. When I suffer, and things don’t get fixed, I can remember I’m just existing as a sinful human in a sinful world, and God took it upon Himself, too. Now my suffering produces glory, so I don’t have to be afraid of it.
Yes, Jesus coming to suffer like we did is such a comfort. His body broke down and felt tired and needed rest just like us. ❤️
This made me laugh due to it's honesty, even though that may not have been your intention in writing it. Stay on this soapbox!
Happy to give you a laugh! 😂
Thank you for writing this. Life is just hard, and while we can certainly make choices to counter some of it, it's ok to just sit with those difficulties and admit it's hard.
"...it's ok to just sit with those difficulties and admit it's hard." Totally agree. And doing that allows us to give ourselves grace and extend it to others. ❤️
Yeah, this. All of this. Thank you for putting this into words, today was the perfect day for me to read it 😊 I need God's healing and peace as much and more than I need Medicine's.
(likewise, I'm not saying that antidepressants and counselling can't be healing miracles in their own right, I just needed to remember to put the Healer first!)
Yes, I'm thankful for the gift of medicine and therapy and wise physicians. And thankful for God's presence in all of it.
I needed this today. I’m in my late 40s and most of my 30s was spent pregnant or breastfeeding while I was being consumed by anxiety that I was doing it all wrong, I wasn’t doing enough, I was ruining my children, I’m not worthy of all this goodness, I suck as a human/wife/mother.
I needed something to hang on to. I tried returning to my Catholic faith and roots, but I couldn’t draw any comfort from that community, it just dredged up a bunch of old memories of not being good enough for God, my parents, anyone. The “spiritual” community has something correct in the personal responsibility and setting boundaries aspect, but it ignores the problem of Evil and reduces everything down to “just not there yet.” The lack of objectivity leaves it rudderless and forever malleable to wishes that will never be horses.
I’m tired. I don’t need to be fixed. I just want to be. I still consider myself a Catholic, and something else I cannot define. I seek after the great Mystics and their deep search for God in the purity of nature.
I understand not feeling "at home" in the faith community you grew up in. I've found that seeking Jesus out for myself in His word is what brings the most comfort these days. Though it doesn't alleviate the suffering completely. Stopping to pray that you feel wrapped in peace today.
“Maybe you can turn off that podcast about the physical effects of trauma on the body just go for a walk underneath 100 year old trees for today?” This… 👏🏼👏🏼 Sometimes I need to let go of trying to fix my trauma and responses to it and just let it go for a bit. 💗
Yes! It's good to "do the work" and it's good to take a break from doing the work too. I hope you get many peaceful walks this week!
I know so many women in this 30-40 range who I've talked to who are just resonating with the word "weary," and this was exactly what I needed to hear: "You're not doing anything wrong. it's just hard." Ugggggg ... I constantly struggle against this idea that the ultimate goal in life is comfort and happiness, and it feels like such a personal failure when that's not the circumstance when that's not true at all. It's truly just the circumstances. Thank you for this today.
Circumstances completely out of our control have knocked us flat so many times in the last 10 years that I've learned to have more compassion for myself and others. I'm glad to know this post connected with your heart today!
*Standing Applause* Yep. Life is hard; no one gets out alive. We do the best we can and yes we can look back and think we should've done better, but we did the best we could with what we had at that time.
I think the majority of people are really trying their best out here!
Well said Breanne and this definitely resonates with me. I feel like much of my life was spent chasing the next “magic bullet”, a quick fix or health hack that was the missing piece I needed to make it all work out. Of course, it existed only in my imagination. The answers were always within and Above, while I chased many things which were, even if helpful, “meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
On a side note, I am continually impressed by your writing and wisdom and absolutely believe you deserve (and will have) a much wider audience and impact. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us.
Thanks for reading, Chris. Life is so much more nuanced and layered than any one solution could offer, but it doesn't mean that don't tempt us at times!
One of my phrases is “it’s hard to be a human.” I tell it to other adults, my kids, myself. This is beautiful, Brea, and so so true.
That's a really good phrase. I'm gonna be using it too. Thanks for reading, friend. I hope today is a "less hard" day for you!
These are wise words! Thanks for sharing this Breanne,
Thank you for reading, Kym!