7 by Jen Hatmaker

Author:Jen Hatmaker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Published: 2011-09-12T16:00:00+00:00

Day 26

I pulled up Hulu.com, clicked on Modern Family, then turned it off.

There. I said it.

Brandon has been out of town for three days, I’ve been wrangling these out-of-school kids who have no media to occupy their little minds (read: mouths), and it was 10:00 p.m. and everyone finally went to bed. I didn’t want to read. I didn’t want to write. I didn’t want to tackle my e-mails. I didn’t want to be productive.

I wanted to laugh at Phil and Cam and Gloria.

I stopped short of actually watching it. I know the universe wouldn’t have imploded if I had. One thirty-minute episode of TV couldn’t ruin the whole experiment. But my DNA won out (first born, Type-A, selective rule follower). The principle of the thing fought its way to the top, shoving down the lesser players like boredom and entitlement.

So let’s review the months thus far:

I ate Ethiopian food on the fifth day of 7.

I wore a nonsanctioned jacket during Day 1 of the clothes fast.

I prehoarded piles of clothes for giveaway month, just in case.

I came this close to watching TV during media fast.

I warned you about these tendencies. I never pretended I had a will of iron, people. That I’m still doing this is a miracle. The threat of public humiliation keeps the wheels on 7, since waaaay too many people know about this thing. While drive and determination might fail me, people pleasing will never let me down as an excellent motivator.

Is there something similar in biblical community? Does the collective will and watch of like-minded people keep us from derailing sometimes? Innumerable times I’ve grown weary, but the powerful backing of my faith community lit the extinguishing fire, and I carried on.

Maybe “letting down my fellow journeymen” isn’t such a bad reason for pushing through either. In my circle of Christ followers, we take turns being strong. While one of us is down, the rest rally. Later, we’ll trade. The equation always balances in the end. Sometimes a second surge of effort affects another believer in profound ways. I can’t count how many times I’ve thought:

If she can do it, then I can too.

If he can hold steady, then I should try.

If God is keeping them afloat, then he’ll do the same for me.

Our stories affect one another whether we know it or not. Sometimes obedience isn’t for us at all, but for another. We don’t know how God holds the kingdom in balance or why He moves a chess piece at a crucial time; we might never see the results of his sovereignty. But we can trust Him when He says press on, cling to hope, stay the course. He is always at work, even if the entire thread is hidden. I might just be one shade of one color of one strand, but I’m a part of an elaborate tapestry that goes beyond my perception.

The power of the church has always been in its many, many parts. In a culture of hero worship

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