Why do basements leak? We can blame it on the rain, or on the crack itself, but truth be told, neither the rain nor the crack are completely to blame. Pressure is the real problem. Let me explain. When it rains the rain is absorbed into the ground. As the ground becomes saturated the pressure builds and as the pressure builds it forces the water into the path of least resistance, which is usually the crack in your basement wall. Therefore, your basement leaks because of the pressure.
“Cracks” in our lives are exposed the same way. The “rain” of life falls. As our lives become saturated the pressure builds. As the pressure builds, and builds, and builds, if looks for the path of least resistance to escape. We actually use the following phrase, ”I just needed to blow off a little steam”.
The pressure of life exposes the “cracks”, or weaknesses, or unresolved issues, or unhealed wounds of our lives. The “rain” of life sometimes becomes so over-whelming and builds up enough pressure that the cracks of our lives are exposed and begin to leak. The leaks look like; anger, fear, depression, over-spending, broken relationships, insecurity, un-forgiveness, prejudice, complacency, health issues, emotional issues, perfectionism, apathy, moodiness, over-sensitivity, negativism, doubt, gossip, fatigue, and so on….
Sometimes we try to fix the crack in their basements but no success. If the cracks are “fixed”, but the issues that caused the pressure to build are not also resolved the weak spot in the basement wall will always be under pressure from the rain.
Our lives are the same way. Sometimes we try to fix the surface issue (the rain) without resolving the root issue (the pressure). Surface issues are what we see, for example we see someone’s anger, defensiveness, insecurity, or addiction. Sure, we can clearly see the surface issue. But surface issues are only able to survive due to the root system that feeds them. If anger is the surface problem that we can see in a person (or ourselves), then maybe the root system that continually feeds the anger is some event that occurred that has never been resolved, or maybe it is a wound that has never healed, or maybe even fear, therefore we use our anger as our defense mechanism so we feel more secure.
Back to the leaky basement concept for a moment; Many times as the pressure of live builds up we “leak” through our surface issues. Once we begin to “leak” due to the pressure it can affect all the areas of our lives. For example, marriages fall a part most the time due to the pressure that has cause the relationship to spring “leaks”. Rather than resolve the root system issues, we tend to manage the surface level issues until they overwhelm us, then we give up.
There is hope. The gospel is about God’s message of hope and restoration. It is about God reconciling people back to himself. There is no wound God cannot heal. There is no event God cannot resolve in and though you. There is no fear beyond God’s ability to give courage. Whatever the surface issue you struggle with, whatever the root system that feeds it, God has a plan to offer you hope and restoration.
Are you under pressure from the rain in your life? Are the cracks in your “basement” being exposed? Maybe you just have no idea how to stop the “rain”. Maybe it isn’t possible to stop the “rain” right now. Is the pressure building to the point you feel overwhelmed? Do you find yourself being reactive all the time, instead of proactive? Do you feel like there is no hope?
I have good news for you; there is hope! Exposing the “cracks” of our lives is a part of how God works in us to give us opportunities to seek Him and allow Him to transform us. A tendency most of us have is that when we are feeling ten foot tall and bullet proof we have no need for God. We tend to seek God more like a emergency 911 call for help than as an everyday necessity as our source of hope, peace, grace, and power.
The gospel is about God’s message of hope and restoration. The gospel is about a real God who send His real Son to die on real cross for the real sin of all mankind so that they could experience real forgiveness, real peace, and real joy through a real relationship that transforms and empowers them to carry our the God’s real purposes for them. It is about God reconciling people back to himself. There is no wound God cannot heal. Whatever the surface issue you struggle with, whatever the root system that feeds it, God has a plan to offer you hope and restoration.
As with a plant, if we kill the root system, the plant will die. If doesn’t matter how big and strong the tree is, if you kill the root system the tree will also die. Likewise, if doesn’t matter how big and strong your surface issue is, if you kill the root system that feeds it, allow the wounds to heal, resolve the issues, etc, your surface issue will also die.
The gospel is great news, not just about salvation and eternity in heaven, but the gospel is also great news about living life today. God wants to give you hope. He wants to transform you. Allow Him to search you. Be honest with yourself. Stop making excuses for the “self-medication”, for the denial, for the coping mechanisms, for the seeking to numb yourself to the pain, for avoiding the issues, for the broken relationships, for the outburst of anger, for the mood swings, etc.
Instead, take responsibility. Come to God who already knows. Who cares and will restore you and transform you. God knows the pain and pressure you feel. He knows about the rain in your life. Come to Him with all your burdens, and all your regrets, and all your baggage, and He will give you rest. He will forgive you and lavish His grace and mercy upon you. He will transform you from the inside out.