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Have you ever felt spiritually dry even though you have been doing all the right things?
When that happens we often make one of two choices. We either blame our church because it no longer meets our needs ("There's too much milk and not enough meat") or we blame ourselves. In this second instance, we decide that we need to fix the problem - often by doing more - more Bible study, more prayer, more acts of service, etc.
Maybe, just maybe, there is no problem that needs to be fixed at all. Could it be that the God who made you and loves you has pulled Himself away just a bit to create in your heart a greater hunger for Him? Is it possible that instead of being chronically disappointed in you, He actually wants to be closer to you?
Could it be that spiritual dryness is an invitation for intimacy and not an opportunity for guilt and criticism?
I think so.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Plan of the Enemy
What do you suppose Satan's chief strategy is?
Does he want everyone to ruin their lives with addictions?
Is he content to keep people from salvation through constant the distractions of life around us?
Or does he hope to see us waste ourselves in a messy stew of fear, pride and self-absorption?
Here's my vote: The chief aim of Satan is to keep us from falling in love with God. If he can do that, then we are never able to enter into the Christian life in its fullness and probably won't desire to become Christians in the first place.
How does Satan keep us from falling in love? By ruining our capacity to love. Addictions, abuse, emotional wounds, performance-based relationships, nearly everything harmful in life helps to destroy our ability to give and to receive love. Without that ability, we will never truly know God.
Emotional healing can sometimes be a long and painful process. And yet, as we become healthy emotionally, it is then that we can experience the great love that the Father has for us. Once we know that love, we enter into real life. We may not understand the things that happen to us, but because we know we are deeply loved, the need to understand no longer has the same power.
Being loved beats understanding every time.
Does he want everyone to ruin their lives with addictions?
Is he content to keep people from salvation through constant the distractions of life around us?
Or does he hope to see us waste ourselves in a messy stew of fear, pride and self-absorption?
Here's my vote: The chief aim of Satan is to keep us from falling in love with God. If he can do that, then we are never able to enter into the Christian life in its fullness and probably won't desire to become Christians in the first place.
How does Satan keep us from falling in love? By ruining our capacity to love. Addictions, abuse, emotional wounds, performance-based relationships, nearly everything harmful in life helps to destroy our ability to give and to receive love. Without that ability, we will never truly know God.
Emotional healing can sometimes be a long and painful process. And yet, as we become healthy emotionally, it is then that we can experience the great love that the Father has for us. Once we know that love, we enter into real life. We may not understand the things that happen to us, but because we know we are deeply loved, the need to understand no longer has the same power.
Being loved beats understanding every time.
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