A Cabin, a Cave, or a Fire?
Life…no one gets out alive. How do we navigate life when we know it always ends in death? How do we assign purpose, meaning, and value to our little blip on the timeline of humanity? How do we escape hopelessness, despair, and regret? How do we transcend self to connect to something greater?
We have three options: a cabin, a cave, or a fire.
Option #1 – The Cabin
The Cabin is the life we construct for ourselves. We build structure to house our ideals, dreams, and priorities. Our worldview is determined by looking at the outside world and comparing ourselves against what we see.
How do we measure up against our neighbors? How good is life compared to the cultural standards of success? How satisfied are we with what we built compared to what we see in others?
The cabin option is about peeking through the window to assign personal worth based on comparison. Social media, consumerism, and the “age of excess” all point to the unsatisfactory nature of the cabin option. The perpetual lust for more reveals that finding value through comparison is foolish at best and an utterly sinful waste at its worst. Attempting to understand identity by evaluating self against others who are doing the same thing creates a competition where no one wins because we all run the wrong race.
Option #2 – The Cave
The Cave is the inward turn to look for meaning inside of self. We retreat into the deep recesses of self in the vain hope of somehow finding transcendence of self through more discovery of self. Our worldview is determined by looking inward and assigning value based on feelings, perceptions, and self-awareness.
Who am I? How am I wired? What is best for me? How do I become my best version of self? What do I think will give me lasting soul satisfaction? How do I embrace my individuality and independence to discover self-contained happiness?
The cave option is about looking within for validation, significance, and purpose. The self-help phenomenon is a prime example of cave dwelling. When I attempt to help myself be more myself, I end up by myself. Then I am beside myself inside myself. Bears live in caves. When we look inward for answers, we find the bear of self. When we embrace self as our primary answer, we end up in a soul-crushing bear hug. Cave dwelling is unbearable.
Option #3 – The Fire
The Fire is the transcendence of self through the process of refinement. We escape the prison of self through transformative experiences with our Creator. Our worldview is determined by who God is and who we are in relationship to Him.
Who is God? Who does God declare that I am? Who am I in relationship to God? What have I become that is not indicative of who God created me to be? What impurities have I cultivated in my heart that God’s holiness can purify?
“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24 NIV)
“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.” (Malachi 3:2 NIV)
“These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7 NIV)
The Fire is the only option. The Fire is God’s judgement and God’s judgement is good. Judgement Day is not a doom and gloom scenario, but a precious promise from our loving God. Jesus is the judge. Jesus is love. His judgement is love. His perfect, holy presence consumes all impurities. There is no need to wait around for the final Judgement Day…we can experience Jesus’ refinement every day.
Leave the Cabin. Step out of the Cave. Enjoy the Fire. He is a friendly fire, and He has abundant life for you.
*The novel “Shiloh Battles” explores the Cabin, the Cave, and the Fire in a fictional account of one man’s quest for identity. The book is available on amazon.com. I also recommend the song “Friendly Fire” by the band Shiloh Battles. It is available anywhere you stream music.
