I've been running into a word/concept lately that has really helped me understand a problem many of us face daily. I see and have talked with many people who feel lost, and who are having a very hard time finding answers questions like "Who Am I?" and "Why Am I Here?". This dilema leaves many of us confused, tired, lathargic, and disconected from life. I'm begining to see that the inability to find our place or a sense of purpose has many of us stuck in a vicious cirlce of self-doubt, self-evaluation, and self-condemnation. Our lack of connection to history (our past, heritage, legacy, etc), the future (generations to come, the state of the Earth environmentaly, politicaly, etc), and the ever changing present (our familiies, jobs, churches, neighbourhoods, etc), is a major source of depression, crippling fear, and an ever growing loss of purpose/meaning.
To this realization has come the idea of 'Transendance'. It's becoming so clear to me that in order to fully live, we must trancend our own small worlds. We need to begin to both recognize and value the connectedness we have to others. To explore the impact our lives have, and the ability we possess, to influence the world that surrounds us (AIDS in Africa, Persecution of the Church in Aisa, Incredible poverty in our own cities and abroad.) We need to embrace the importance that family plays in our lives. The fact that we come from a heritage and will leave a legacy for future generations, coupled with the incredible impact our families (Grand parents, parents, wives, children, and siblings) have on our day to day lives, should bring hope, joy, love, and a belief that life is about more than we may realize otherwise.
Ultimately, I'm beginning to appreciate the importance of realities that trancend our own little worlds. Our love for others, interaction with the poor, the comrodery of a sports team, or the interaction of husband and wife, are all but a few examples of trancendance. We are not alone, and our lives are not as 'individual' as we have come to believe. What we do, who we are, how we live impacts and is impacted by the world around us. Tancendance allows us to look beyond our selves, and to find purpose, excitment, and hope.
The greatest opportunity for transendance lies in our ability to see our lives in relationship with God. We are created for, loved by, and called to a life that is fully weaved together with the heart of God. Jesus has made it possible to walk in relationship with our creator, and that is where life finds real meaning, direction, and hope. As Christ is allowed to live in us, our lives become about more than our own situation, our failures, our victories, our feelings, etc. Ironicaly, it is as we allow life to reach beyond the reality of 'self', that we find our true identity. Community… relationship… the interaction of love both with God and with others allows us to see better who we were created to be.
I pray that god opens our eyes to see. I pray that in our times of intimacy and self evaluation (which are incredibly valid and necessary) we are able to see that we are not alone. I pray that as we connect with others (friends, family, the poor, co-workers, neighbours, and beyond) we will come to know 'life to the full'. Most of all I pray that we will be raised up to know Christ's heart, and a personal relationship with the one who loves us more than we could ever know.