Opposites

Been pondering some opposites lately... and we're not talking "stop" and "go" opposites here. Profound opposites. Because sometimes we find ourselves in a position where we greatly need an opposite--because an opposite is an antidote. But sometimes I think we don't think quite hard enough about opposites, and as such miss some interesting truths.

For example... fear. What is the opposite of fear? Courage? Bravery? How? Courage is merely acting in spite of fear. No, when you think about it, the opposite of fear must be love. (And, as such, the opposite of love is fear.) "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love." (1 John 4:18) So love is the antidote of fear. (Which kinda sucks for some of us, because love can seem very scary... yet it's the antidote to fear... but if you struggle with fear then... yeah. =____= But I digress.)

But what about others? Like... despair? Pain? I find those trickier in my ponderings.

Despair, hope. Kinda seems like a no-brainer, right? But I wonder... is the opposite of despair really hope? I could be wrong, but I don't think it is. Because the worst despair normally comes about when there's just the littlest bit of hope still left. Complete hopelessness is resignation. But "hope deferred makes the heart sick" and all that. I'm still very much chewing on this one, but could it be that the opposite of despair is faith? ("Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:2 )

Pain. This is an interesting one, and one that's been on my mind a lot. But I submit this to you: the fundamental opposite of (emotional) pain is beauty. It's a difficult one for me to find words to explain. Pain is a product of suffering, disquiet of the soul, brokenness, damage. Beauty in its profoundest sense is the product of peace, quiet, wholeness, and an unearthly sense of perfection. If we stop and listen to it, pure beauty--in any form--tells us "all will be well." Could be the beauty in a day with perfect weather, the beauty in a piece of art, the beauty in a moving piece of music, the beauty of poetry and words, the beauty in a person, the beauty of being in love, the beauty of God's Word... but beauty in and of itself seems to provide a sense of wholeness, of peace, even when peace doesn't make any sense. Ponder that one long enough and I think you'll come to agree with me. Fascinating stuff, to me at least.

Anyways. Just the wanderings of my mind of late. Fear... despair... pain... love... faith... beauty...Yup. All that good stuff.