The Bright Sadness

During the season of Lent we ran across this phrase, “The Bright Sadness.” Immediately our ears perked up, as we dove into all the different meanings of these beautiful words stuck together so oddly, so oppositely. The phrase made me think and feel. It also slowly began to encompass something I had been starting to experience in my heart about my own life. Sadness, trial and the aching of this earth are not detached from the bright, resurrecting hope of God. These two ideas actually hold hands very easily and should walk together intertwined always, shamelessly. There are many awe-striking moments on this broken, beautiful planet, but there are also moments that make us feel out of control and weak.  These “out of control” moments do not detach us from God. In a deeper sense, they may even knit us to his heart and life. Christ is the brightness in every ounce of life.  He is the greatest power in this universe and will fill us to walk through every moment.

I love the church, the wife of God, the way God uses to touch the earth.  As I grew up I looked at the church as the group of people who were perfect and had it together.  I’m older now and have attempted and failed for long enough to fit into this image.  We are ordinary, broken, beautiful people who have the common ground of clinging to God daily for sustenance.  We believe in new beginnings, redemption, renovation and overcoming for ourselves, as well as those around us, because of the bright savior and teacher, Jesus and we want to offer this hope life to the world around us.

So this collection of songs is some of the spiritual journaling of my last few years.  It comes from me understanding my ordinary human condition and my deep love for Jesus and the life he brings along in Him.   I do not love and believe these things because of citizenship, my role or title in the church or because I am supposed to. I believe this because I have felt my own humanity and my need to be in touch again with my creator.  The Bright Sadness is the accepting of the brokenness in myself and in the world around me but always intertwining the overarching thought of Christ’s closeness, his free fellowship, his redemption and compassion, His Brightness.

~ Charlie Hall

Go get his CD today!!