Resurrection Letter No. 20: We're all injured and there are no quick fixes

Dear Good Shepherd and friends,

So, I've been having knee problems lately. It's been troubling enough that I've begun to see a physical therapist. 

The knee problem is the result of several things. I had knee surgery nearly 25 years ago as a sophomore in college. I still continue to run regularly, and have for quite a while. Most recently, I've been crawling around on my knees doing some work in our attic. 

The knee problem isn't new. It has to do with things I've done or am doing, just as a matter of course in life, and the trauma of the knee surgery. One does not have knee surgery (or surgery of any sort) and expect that there will never again be issues. The knee is forever in a weakened state.

The PT prescribed for me a list of exercises: stability squats, bridges, this "clamshell" exercise I have to do with an exercise band, straight-leg lifts while lying on my back on the floor. None of these are particularly impressive exercises. They take time every day, and some days I'm not sure they're doing anything.

As I was doing these exercises the other day, it struck me as interesting that none of the exercises directly involved my knee. They all focused on strengthening other areas (hips, gluteus, hamstrings). 

I didn't know my glutes, hips, and hamstrings were not as strong as they need to be. It's not something I liked to hear. It's not like I intentionally neglected them. It happened over a period of time and habit. Eventually, the doctor said, the knee already weaker because of trauma from surgery would run into problems if the other areas were not adequately strong to balance things. Because I continue to run, not adequately strengthening the other areas leaves my knee vulnerable.

Ideally, I would like a quick fix. Directly deal with the knee and get that back in shape. But that's not the way out. There are other areas of my legs that need strengthening to stabilize my knee so that it can put up without injury.   

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Often in life there are times when we get "injured." Actually, it's truer to reality to just say that we all have "injury." Many of us have had some sort of trauma in our lives, an experience that marks us for life. And there are often other things as a matter of course that might bring aggravation to the injured areas of our lives. Maybe it's burnout with something -- our job, financial stress, family life. Maybe it's sickness or chronic pain or struggle or depression. Maybe the everyday patterns are having some wear and tear on us and we need a change. 

As I go through the physical therapy, the insight that comes to me is that there are no quick fixes -- not only for my knee, but for life's injuries. 

And we are not as strong as we think or lead on. We all have areas of weakness or experiences of trauma that leave us exposed to problems and issues. Continuing to push on through difficulty might get us through temporarily, but at what point will we run into problems by neglecting things that can strengthen where we're weak? Just pushing through with the day and thinking things will smooth over is an illusion. Issues and problems never smooth over. They only add up and compound. Weakness, trauma, and pain only manifest themselves in ways we don't want. 

The way out might not be to deal with the direct problem or injury, to "fix" the one problem area. It's very likely that the way out is to deal with the complex of other things that are contributing to the problem. The underlying issues must be addressed and we need to bring greater strength, stability, and movement to other areas that have been neglected. 

If I have injury with personal relationships, perhaps I need to strengthen my abilities to forgive, to judge less, to not hold grudges. I need to be reminded of God's grace that welcomes me as I am, just as God's grace welcomes others as they are.

If the injury has to do with financial struggle, finding ways to make more money is only a quick fix. I need to strengthen surrounding areas. Maybe I need to be reminded that all things are gifts from God; maybe I need to be reminded that my happiness is not in being a consumer but in contentment. 

If I experience problems with happiness or purpose, forcing a smile and positive attitude just covers the pain. I need to strengthen my sense of joy that is deeper than "happiness," that my mood and joy do not depend on circumstances of the moment, that joy and purpose come from identity as made in the image of God, and not how I feel or compare to some manufactured cultural ideal.

But, even this approach can leave us struggling. Many times we don't have it in us to be "better."

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We're in a quagmire. We can't neglect the pain or push through. We sometimes can't just make ourselves better. We must go deeper. 

Here's the way out. Jesus said it best: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart." (Matthew 11:29-29)

Come to Jesus. It's simple, it requires nothing of us, and we don't have to get it together or be better. Yet, at the same time, it takes intentionality, time, and effort. I notice it in my own life. When I don't make time to put in the effort to pray, to pause and recenter my days and direction by reading Scripture, to connect with a faith community where I'm reminded that there is something bigger than me, reminded of the story of God's hope and redeeming -- then things begin to weaken. Issues and problems surface. 

To address areas of pain or injury there are things we can do that have wide-reaching benefit, like the exercises I must do to benefit my knee. Like the exercises prescribed by my physical therapist, they might seem mundane, and even not initially effective. I might find it easier to just not do them and get on with my day. 

But I notice that when I neglect these things the pain and problems resurface, and I'm not helping myself at all. Anxiety. Stress. Financial worry. Personal and relational tension. Lack of joy. Struggle with anger and frustration. They all come back.

When we can't slow down to rehabilitate, to do the spiritual therapy, we're only hurting ourselves.

And let me be clear, because I sense there is this goofy stigma against this stuff. This isn't about being super "pious." It's not about being more "religious." 

It's very simple: it's about quality of life, keeping ourselves from crashing, from burning out, from living lives hampered by injury. 

We all want that, don't we? 

There are no quick fixes for the injured lives we live. But there is hope. Come to Jesus. 

Let his call of grace give us the vision to imagine our lives differently and give us hope beyond ourselves. And hope takes time to cultivate. Just as I need to take time every day (twice a day) to do the list of exercises for my knee, so also I need to take time to strengthen areas that will keep injury from completely sidelining me from living well. It's not some magic pill. But it works in the long run. And eventually it makes us better, not from our own efforts, but from letting God's words heal us.

So pick up the Bible. Read the Psalms. Start with Psalm 1. Or just pick one. They don't let you down.

Or read the gospel of Matthew. It's easy. Start with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5. 

Or join with me at 6:30 every morning for "Morning Peace" -- a daily practice to center your day and strengthen the neglected areas on Facebook live on Good Shepherd's page.

Or join us on Sundays as we imperfectly and sometimes clumsily try to gather in support of one another and to set our vision on God's bigger hope for us and this world. 

We all have injury. May we find hope for healing.

In defiant hope,

Pastor Kyle