Our ability to serve the needs of others is dependent on our spiritual wholeness. The more we become like Christ, the more we are able to love others.
To the degree that we are hurt, we stay focused on ourselves.
Christian behaviorism results from an overemphasis on doing - do better, try harder. Many of us try and try, and fail and fail, until we finally give up.
What went wrong?
We cannot change our behavior without Jesus changing who we are. We must separate doing from being. Christ's good news is that we can become free in our innermost being.
Confronting the real issues in our lives seems to scare people to death. After years and years of fear, shame, and covering up our weaknesses and failures, the idea of facing them is often terrifying.
This is where the fight comes in, where the battle begins. Whether it is for yourself or for someone else, don't tell me it isn't a battle when you stand face to face with the lies that the enemy has told someone since they were a child, when they cower at the voice in their heart telling them they are a failure, or they are worthless, or they are just plain bad.
If the vicious cycle of hurt is not addressed, the pain passes down from father to son, mother to daughter, generation to generation.
This is a battle worth fighting. Yes, Jesus already purchased our freedom, but it is up to us to lay hold of it as a reality in our lives.
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4 comments:
I have very much enjoyed this series (though reading it at 5am precludes any saying an emphatic "Yes!!" out loud as I read). You have it absolutely right when you say:
"We cannot change our behavior without Jesus changing who we are. We must separate doing from being. Christ's good news is that we can become free in our innermost being.
Confronting the real issues in our lives seems to scare people to death. After years and years of fear, shame, and covering up our weaknesses and failures, the idea of facing them is often terrifying."
I should have copied the entire post in the quotes but those two paragraphs speak very well to the situation many Christians are in. I know I was (and in some areas of my life still need to work on with the help of Christ). As we counsel others and pray with them we see what you have described time and time again. It is so wonderful (I am so full of wonder) that Jesus allows us to participate in his act of setting captives free.
Thank you very much for this post!
Excellent, Excellent word.
Keep it up!
inheritor,
Yes, becoming free is an ongoing process in our lives. However, I think that once we've begun the process we see the benefit and learn to trust the gentleness of the Lord in bringing healing.
It has always surprised me and somewhat angered me the degree of fear and shame that people experience when they volunteer to confront the deeper issues in their heart. The enemy would love to keep us bound.
Participating in ministry that truly brings healing and deliverance to people is an amazing privilege, and witnessing the Spirit's work and the abundance of God's grace in that ministry is just awesome, absolutely miraculous.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
annie grace,
I'm glad you enjoyed this, and there are probably a couple more posts.
Awesome!
I think this was intended to be an encouragement to men but I am so resonating with this.
I began some hard work a few years ago...breaking generational things and releasing generational blessings.
So happy to have found your blog.
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