Blog by Andy Wilson, Lead Evangelist, Gloucester Centre of Mission
Recently, I had a 3-year review for my work as a Church Army evangelist. As part of that review, people who we have been journeying with were interviewed and given space to talk about the journey we had invited them upon. One lady used the phrase of ‘unwinding’, how there was no pressure, but there was getting alongside, listening, supporting, encouraging and invitation which slowly unwound previous thoughts, expectations and current struggles to help find relationships and the beginning of freedom.
I was particularly drawn to the phrase ‘unwinding’, which I guess many of us may have thought of in one way or another, as we think and consider the peeling of an apple, or onion, how the different layers are unwound.
But there is something about unwinding that suggests a lack of force, but more of an exploration and gentle revealing of what is there.
If we consider how Jesus spoke with the woman at the well, he did not charge in and point things out about her life. He did not even immediately promote or push himself and who he was. Gently, he engaged in conversation, opened up issues and thoughts, but without thought or pressure, unwound what had been there and enabled a greater revealing of what he saw.
We hear people talking about unwinding at the end of a day, feeling that sense of release, freedom, being, and I wonder whether that is what Jesus brought to that woman in that conversation, and whether that is what he is maybe wanting to do for some of us, and even more for the people who we are journeying with.
As we journey with others, let’s be aware of the unwinding opportunities that Jesus is enabling others to find, and see what part in that unwinding Jesus wants us to play.
Also, I wonder what unwinding Jesus is asking of us, and wanting to do in our lives? Let’s be aware of his gentle unwinding in our lives, and the freedom, release and being that he is wanting to bring into our lives.
Andy Wilson
Lead Evangelist
Gloucester Centre of Mission
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I like this term Andy – we use words like ‘freedom’ and ‘release’ as part of our Christian vocabulary, but even though they are often appropriate, they sometimes seem quite big, grand terms. Something like ‘unwinding’ feels much closer to home, more intimate, easy to connect to and, as you say, gentle. That’s good, because for so many of the people we journey with, it is often through the intimate, personal encounter that they find their way into the larger reality of God’s story, but we often want to race on to the big picture stuff. I’m going to go and find some space to unwind!