Beyond This World.
What we’re longing for is beyond this world.
I write this as I am stranded at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, on my 15th call attempt with American Airlines to check my standby status on a later flight and/or to be rebooked on a flight to West Palm Beach. A prayer of mine lately is to bear the fruit of patience, and I reckon I can’t bear fruit without a bit of rain. Well, folks, it’s raining hard. The seed is germinating and I am fighting an insatiable urge to board the nearby flights to Monterrey, Guadalajara, or Oaxaca. The Lord is still working on my patience and with the Holy Spirit as my guide, we’re taking the long (re: inconvenient) way to getting there — starting with this travel day from the opposite of heaven. And as the old saying goes, the day you plant the seed is not the day you harvest it, so no, I will not be writing about patience today. But pray for me.
Instead, I hope to write about a story of hope and faith I encountered earlier this week.
In honor of the Olympics, I bought Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s book, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith. Two of my favorite people in the world are 400 meter hurdlers like Sydney, so I was initially captivated by her unbelievable ability (not to mention beauty and grace) on the track in an event I’ve watched a lot through my friends. I then stumbled across a podcast episode starring Sydney and heard more of her heart than what is able to be communicated in the 60 second post-race interview, and I was sold on Sydney the person. As such, I bought her book. Though my intent was to read it over the weekend as I traveled, I swiftly consumed it in one sitting — it was just that compelling and resonant to me.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33. ESV.
In all of Sydney’s favor — her athletic prowess, supermodel-esqe appearance, fame, endorsement deals, money — there was still a Jesus-sized hole in her heart. There was an emptiness that catalyzed fear’s predominance in how she navigated the world and her beloved track. Surrendering her life to Jesus led to the fulfillment that she longed for, a fulfillment that the things of this world could not provide. When she sought the Kingdom of God and His righteousness all the things were added to her. When she sought Him with all of her heart, she found Him. She runs with a confidence that can only be provided by the Lord on the track. She walks alongside a faithful and faith-filled husband off of it. And most importantly, she glorifies His name in all of it. He who can do exceedingly abundantly did so in her life, and it was such an encouraging story of God’s goodness and faithfulness.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20–21. NKJV.
I am no Sydney McLaughlin (I mean seriously, have you seen the woman?), but the story of an all-encompassing, intrusive emptiness despite having all of the things that the world tells you will make you happy? It hits home. On paper, 2023 was a record year. After being coined the “it girl” on campus for occupying the “right” social spaces, being aesthetically pleasing in some regard, and getting into the best law schools in the country — how could I still be so unsatisfied, so unfulfilled?
Get Artha Jonassaint’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
I bet Sydney and I are not alone in this. How many of us have ever thought that once we cleared the next (literal or metaphorical) hurdle — whether it was a starting a new job, being admitted into a new degree program, moving into a new home, entering into a new relationship, passing a certification exam — that we’ll finally be happy? And as a follow-up, how many of us actually found that the new thing we were chasing doesn’t bring a lasting sense of peace and joy and we, too, had a Jesus-sized hole in our heart that we were trying to fill with things of the world?
I have come to learn in my longing and achieving and climbing that through the metrics of this world, we never truly arrive. And as unsettling as that is, I find solace in that God never leaves where we yearn to be. When we are empty, the best thing we can do is abide in His fullness. And through the gift of the Holy Spirit and rejecting the works of the flesh, we too can encounter love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in abundance.
So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Isaiah 55:11–12. ESV.
I don’t take this to mean we are to not achieve for things in our time here on Earth, but it does mean to not make achieving for achievements’ sake the object of our desires. The object of our desires ought to be glorifying God and walking in the purpose He has created us for. God did not form us in our mothers’ wombs with such spectacular talents to play small in the world. Rather, I imagine that He wants to use us for His will to be done. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone puts it so beautifully in her book, “He takes pleasure in us doing what we were made for.” By utilizing our God-given skills and talents to achieve remarkable feats, we make Him known and illuminate the darkest parts of the world. As we chase His glory and His purpose for us, He is sure to fill the emptiness in our hearts.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7. ESV.
To put it differently and more succinctly: it’s not about us. When we assume a heart posture of humility, we center God and decenter ourselves. When we make it about us as individuals, we inevitably find ourselves incessantly yearning for what is next and markedly unfulfilled. When we achieve for our own selfish ambition, we fall short in fulfilling the the purpose given to us by Him. Alternatively, when everything we do is to glorify God, we can find rest in that His will is being done. And in He whose ways are above our ways and thoughts above our thoughts, through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, our hearts and minds will be guarded by the peace that transcends all understanding.
C.S. Lewis really was on to something in Mere Christianity when he writes, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” We are certainly meant for more than this world, and in the same vein, we have been gifted and positioned to do well in this world. But doing well doesn’t lead to living well if we are not living to glorify God. Knowing this, we ought to be intentional about heeding the call to follow and glorify Him. And as we obey that call and chase the kinds of things that exist abundantly in Heaven, the other world we are made for, we see how God begins to fill the holes in our hearts.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s excellence on the track is only surpassed by her fear of God off of it. We’re the same age, but I look up to her for her walk with Christ and the example she is of His love and faithfulness. I’m thrilled to be rooting for her this week in Paris, and I’ll be certainly rooting for her afterwards.
