You can get to the other side of this
What's on the other side of this? Of this mountain you are climbing, this ocean you are crossing, this desert you are walking through?
What's on the other side of COVID-19? Of this diagnosis, this project, this relationship? What's on the other side of this pregnancy? This child leaving home? This expanse of time and space and energy that you are in? What's the end goal? What do you hope it will look like?
It doesn't matter if you're walking through triumph or tragedy - whatever you are currently going through will lead to whatever is on the other side of it. Sometimes, we don't want the experience to end, and at other times, it can't end soon enough.
Not everything happens for a reason. Sometimes, things just happen. How we move through them is what's important.
One day, Jesus said to his friends and disciples,
"Let's go across to the other side..."*
They had been teaching all day, breaking bread, telling stories, being with people. It had grown dark and late, and they should have been heading off to bed. But no. Jesus wanted to go to the other side of the lake.
What was on the other side?
Jesus was always going to other side - the other side of town, the other side of the well, the other side of what was expected of him, the other side of politics, religion, and convention. He was continually pushing boundaries until the other side was no longer the other side.
"Let's go to the other side," wasn't just a geographical suggestion.
On the other side of the lake was the region of the Gerasenes. They weren't Jewish tribes, but Rome had still ploughed through their towns and cities wreaking havoc on all. Judeans never crossed the lake to go to the Gerasenes. It wasn't culturally acceptable. The region was considered dark, demonic, and destructive. They stayed away.
And yet, "let's go to the other side."
So they did. The disciples packed themselves and their crazy Rabbi up into a boat and set off. You've probably heard a lot about what happened next:
Jesus fell asleep, a violent storm crashed down upon them, they woke Jesus afraid for their lives, who then stood at the front of the boat and calmed the wind and waves with only his spoken word (bookmark this point - we'll come back to it soon).
Mark 4:41 (NIV) tells us that:
"They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
To get to the other side of the lake was an effort of the mind, heart, and body. Some might even claim that the visitation of the storm was a sign they were doing the wrong thing. But whenever you cross over into unknown territory, there are battles to face, noise to calm, fear to set aside, courage to step into, faith to keep journeying on. I suggest that those battles had more to do with their hearts and minds than the water and the waves.
After they come to the other side of the lake, they were met with another kind of storm: a naked man, covered in self-inflicted wounds, screaming incoherently, with broken wrist and foot chains hanging from his emaciated body. The boat had not taken them to the docks in town, but to the local cemetery - they had arrived at the darkest place they possibly could have.
They had gotten to the other side of a storm, and now they were going to be challenged to go to the other side of their prejudices and fears and assumptions and preconceived ideas about others and life and pain.
This is a story about humans and demons and affliction, but more than that, it's a story about what happens when we dare to cross to the other side of our proverbial lakes to villages and cemeteries we once thought were off-limits. How will you move through to the other side of what you're going through, and what will you do once you get there? Because, like Jesus, you can face your mountain, ocean, storm, or valley with peace and strength, no matter what fear rises up within you.
Mindful prompt*: What is it that you want to get to the other side of? Take a moment to consider why you might be afraid to take that first step of faith and get started on (or continue) the journey.
(This post is an excerpt from The Practice Co App series called "The Other Side of This", available to download for iOS and Android! It includes daily devotionals, phone wallpapers, a daily mindful prompt and more included. Start with a free trial or subscribe to get access to each new series as they come out.)
Much love from Liz Milani.
Instagram: @thepracticeco
*included every day, in the app
