June 15 - Identify the allergy source
Scripture focus: Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals. Stay clear of these people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (The Message)
Looks are deceiving. As Jesus reminded us in his teaching in John, separated from God - we can do nothing. But wait - we were created in the image of God! It doesn't sit well with the piece of eternity that God so lovingly planted in our heart (Eccl. 3:8). We, created in his image, are born to run free, work productively, express creativity, and most of all - love large.
So when separation from God leaves us vulnerable to the ravages of sin and shame (two things that the human body absolutely is not equipped to manage), we begin acting in ways that are in direct contradiction to our true selves. In 2 Timothy, the author provides a small sampling of the symptoms associated with shame-filled living. Here's where the paradox gets really interesting.
Our bodies, minds and spirits are basically allergic to sin and shame. But when we get all turned around in our thinking - deceived and disoriented - we begin to experience sin and shame as if they are a natural part of our core identity. We begin to feel as if we are allergic to God. When we feel as if we are allergic to God, we find ourselves reacting to God like a rash - we avoid him. This separation increases our shame. Our inflamed shame increases our propensity to sin. It's a giant circle of shame - and we get nowhere on this merry-go-round of misery.
If we stubbornly resist jumping off this dead end ride, we soon discover that people begin to avoid us. Our shaming ways make us so prickly that people eventually decide they have to protect themselves from us. Isolation is both internal - resistant to receiving love, and external - our resistance teaches others that their gift of love will be rejected. Even the hardiest of souls are tempted to grow weary in loving those who continually reject their invitation to live in community.
Religion isn't a show.
It is a decision to trust God's love. May your decision to trust guide your day.
Recommended reading: Psalm 65-68
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Copyright 2009 NorthStar Community
- click on the word comments and join our conversation
Copyright 2009 NorthStar Community
7 comments:
I felt like I was reading my 4th step again, as I was one of the people to stay clear of.I have never made a show of religion but I have made a show of recovery.I did all the right things for all the right people, deceiving all along the way.I entered treatment for the first time at 18 more of an escape from home than to find recovery.I did escape to a whole new group of people to deceive. This could lead to a long story at least today it is my story, I own it and with God have started to live a different outcome.During my using I did not feel allergic to God, I was sure he was allergic to me.He was not alone most folks spending anytime aroud me became allergic as well.I do have to ask myself some questions today. What am I making a show of today? Have I really looked at my shame or just hidden behind the word trust?I also have a question for anyone reading this, What is up with Psalms? It appears as random thoughts to me, I can not find a flow. Have a blessed day!
So what changed for you that you were willing to give up your show and begin the process of recovery? t
When you have perform everyday all day it gets exhausting.I was tired,alone,scared and had nowhere else to run.I had run out of acts used all my tricks and had nothing left.I could not even escape myself anymore when I was using.I reached the point that the drugs of choice did not work.The seeds of a better life had been planted long before I found what would be my bottom.I wanted so badly to find that life and did not know how, why ask god what had he ever done for me.I met someone who the program of AA had worked for and found a hope that maybe if I worked hard enough or tried hard enough I could find that better life.I must admit at this point that while I found recovery it still took me a long time to give God credit for the things he had done for me.While I did find recovery and found a relationship with God, I stopped there for a very long time.I stayed clean just stunted my growth.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but what I hear you saying is that you stayed clean but didn't feel like you were growing. If that's what you're saying, then I wonder if it might be more like you were not so much stunted, as pausing. Sort of like your body needed the time to do some internal healing, before it could move on to a better sense of who the ultimate healer really is...? t
I can agree with that,I am having a hard time believing it is that simple.I must say that somedays it is still easier to believe that I did not do it well enough or worked hard enough.You reframed my comments beautifully, do you ever feel like it cannot be that easy? When you reframe something from your life do you ever doubt the reframe? How do you get passed it?Thank you for takng me deeper than I feel comfortable going.
I guess for me, it really does end up being simple. I like to make things complicated. But most of the time it comes down to me wanting to get my own way, versus being willing to stop, pause to prepare, and listen for God's voice. Sometimes that's as simple as taking the time to say, "What's the next right step?" and then doing the next right step...t
Someone once told me when God speaks, Step.I need to listen more to what he wants me to do and not what I want Him to do.
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