Jet Lag

They admitted that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. (...) They were longing for a better country-- a heavenly one. 
-Hebrews 11:13-16

I spent the second half of May traveling through Turkey, exploring locations mentioned in the New Testament and connected to the early church as it grew across Asia Minor in the shadow of the Roman Empire. The trip was fabulous—full of natural beauty; Roman, Christian, and Muslim history; wonderful food; and memorable moments for Bethany and me. I’m still processing my experiences, and I’m sure they will inform my teaching and writing in the future.

I knew I’d be tired when we returned. But I don’t think I fully appreciated what the jet lag would do to me. Jet lag is the unnaturally exhausted feeling you get when transitioning between time zones. Maybe it’s just the reality of being a 42-year-old, but getting back into the U.S. and adjusting to the 7-hour time difference has been rough. When a part of me feels like it’s living in one place, but the rest of me has to live in another… it’s been like walking through mud after about 2 p.m. each day. Honestly, I thought I was stronger than this (oh pride, nice to see you again), but it’s been messing with me for nearly a week now.

There’s another element, too. Upon entering the U.S. and being confronted again with our ethnocentric way of life, our busyness, and our aggressive and corrupt government, I realized that many American Jesus-followers are experiencing a kind of “spiritual jet lag.” There’s a massive exhaustion in the constant transition between the time zones of God’s kingdom and priorities, and the world we wake up to each day. Even within my own spirit, I find myself oscillating between awareness of God’s unfolding work around me… and just going through the motions of life without much examination at all. It’s tiring to feel like I’m living in this twilight, in-between space that doesn’t have a name.

I’m thankful that Jesus himself embodied this tension in such a tangible way. He was fully present in a world that did not understand or accept him. He continued to live faithfully with his eyes on the Father, even when the circumstances around him could have taken all of his focus and led to despair or self-preservation. He was so deeply rooted in God’s love that he remained constant through it all. But there was exhaustion, friends. You can hear it in his voice. You can see it in his actions. Even in his faithfulness, walking in both the Spirit and the physical wore him out.
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“It is finished,” he finally said. This statement on the cross—full of love and forgiveness—was not just a shout of victory. It was an exhale, as Jesus received the gift of rest after bearing the weight of the world’s pain and offering a new way forward in God’s reconciliation.

So if Jesus got tired living between two worlds, we’re allowed to talk about our spiritual jet lag too.

Multiple times a day, I find myself moving across time zones. I don’t know what your time zones are. Mine are personal, pastoral, parental, financial, and national. Sometimes I have no idea what time it is—and all I know is that I’m tired and life feels like a blur. And it often leaves me flat.

Apparently there are apps and powder mixes and all sorts of activities that are supposed to help you deal with jet lag. Maybe next time I’ll try them. But in our world, when we feel like our inner clock doesn’t match the world around us, there are some things we can do to keep walking in the circadian rhythms of the Spirit:

• Pause. Phone down. Pray.
  Give yourself some time to simply be loved by God, with nothing required of you and nothing in your mind’s way. Let stillness with Jesus allow the swirling confusion in you to settle. Getting away with God was one of Jesus’ primary practices for walking in the Spirit.
• Love the person in front of you.
  Jet lag causes us to live in this limbo world, often full of tired thoughts but little action. People say exercise helps you get back in the moment. So for disciples, we can choose to do something that adds love to the world around us and brings the kingdom tangibly into this moment. Cook a meal for someone. Send a text. Give a hug.
• Talk through what you're experiencing.
  Community is God’s gift to keep us grounded in what’s real and good. Few things are as helpful as meaningful time with others who want to live the way of love.

It’s okay if you feel fuzzy. Jesus is with you—giving you permission to rest and strength to walk.

Jesus, meet me wherever I am today, and help me walk in your kingdom.

Peace,
Keith