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Across the Pastor’s Desk by Joshua Enderson

I recently saw a quote from the author Fr. Richard Rohr that says, “God is not a being among other beings, but rather the ground of being itself.”

Everything has felt chaotic and frantic over the past few weeks. With a big election happening, not to mention everything else happening in the world, I think many of us got a bit addicted to news updates and the constant noise happening all around us.

Now that it is over, I am surprised at how exhausted everyone is, regardless of their political views. In the busyness of it all, I think we forgot to pause and rest. In all the noise, it can be hard to remember where our true source of trust and hope lies.

We need reminders that we can find rest in the “ground of being,” the one who holds us throughout all that we go through.

When everything in life seems to be spinning faster and faster, we can slow down and remember the one who grounds us.

We can stop and hear Jesus saying: “Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

When we or a loved one go through an illness, when we move from appointment to appointment and our heads become full of terms and diagnoses that we can barely say — let alone understand — we remember that we can stop and ground ourselves. We can remember that we stand firm on the solid ground of Christ’s love and presence.

“Come to me…and you will find rest for your souls.” — Matthew 11:29

Or perhaps we feel betrayed or abandoned by someone or something. Maybe it’s in a relationship or a family or a job. Maybe finances fall through, or everything just seems to break apart on us at the same time.

Perhaps death breaks into your life. In those moments, we remember that we can stop and ground ourselves. We can remember that there is someone who always keeps their word.

Human beings aren’t perfect. Life isn’t perfect. But, when our world feels shaken to its core by something, we remember that life’s core stays stable because of who lies at its center: the ground of it all. We remember that God stands with us no matter what.

So many things in life seem to spin faster and faster these days, and we all have things that cause us to lose our footing in life.

But, no matter what, the ground beneath our feet is always there because that ground is the God who made us, who loves us, and who never leaves our side.

Joshua Enderson is a pastor at Hayward and Trondhjem Lutheran churches.