“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). The way of the enemy is to fragment us in our thinking, emotions, and relationships. Grace and truth makes us whole and complete.
We have an ideal version of ourselves. It is who we want to be. Our ideal self would not be needy. In our ideal world, everything is all-good and works out just right. Because we have been injured in many ways and because we desperately seek the approval of others, we deny or hide our emotional underdevelopment and inabilities. The authentic self is real. It is who we really are. It is more than perception and our limited view, but life as it really is. The reality is we have many imperfections, weaknesses, and immaturities. Because we want the approval of others, we create a high ideal and belief for us to look the part of worldly success, and in doing so we neglect our real self that needs forgiveness and acceptance. This split version of the ideal and real in ourselves and others, sets us up for many emotional and relational difficulties.
Sometimes we ignore the bad. We deny the bad because bad is negative. We have expectations of others but when they fail us, we blame and punish them. We devalue or lesson the importance of any thing around us that does not meet our expectations. We stop going to the church or group, we quit the job, minimize the importance of family or friends and move to yet another imperfect and disappointing situation or relationship. Love does not deny the truth, positive or negative. Good and bad co-exist in each of us but God still accepts us the way we are.
When we become more like Christ, we begin to see how God views that person who is the source of our trouble and pain. Sometimes we are the one who creates the trouble. When we begin to see ourselves or other people as God does, we no longer look at them as our enemies, but rather someone who is hurting and needs grace. This is how Jesus could give of His life for us. He saw our great need, not what we did to Him. God looks at the person and sees their needs and knows why they respond the way they do. He teaches us to look beyond the person's behavior to understand the source of their need. When we gain understanding, God gives us a picture of this person and shows us they are inside a prison cell and in bondage. These bondages make people do what they do. We can pray for them and genuinely love them in spite of the fact what they do to us. This is the kind of love Jesus wants us to have when He tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who spitefully use us.
God allows discomfort in our circumstances to teach us the best response. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete” (James 1:2-3). God does a special work of grace in those who go beyond the realm of normal response to persecution. He brings us to a level of grace we never thought possible. When someone wrongs you, do you seek to retaliate, or do you pray to understand the need behind the offender's actions?
The messages are very insightful. I just watched some of the videos too. I haven't seen that Be Be & Ce Ce's video "Heaven" in years! wow, that really takes me back. thanks for the link. very cool!
ReplyDeleteThe authentic self is real. It is who we really are. It is more than perception and our limited view, but life as it really is.
ReplyDeleteWhen someone wrongs you, do you seek to retaliate, or do you pray to understand the need behind the offender's actions?
ReplyDeleteThe reality is we have many imperfections, weaknesses, and immaturities. Because we want the approval of others, we create a high ideal and belief for us to look the part of worldly success, and in doing so we neglect our real self that needs forgiveness and acceptance.
ReplyDelete