Sin is catastrophic. From its inception in the Garden of Eden, sin's rugged influence impacts and affects every person...like in every. Debris of human hearts is strewn across the landscape as far as the eye can see; even as far as memory can record. Hurt, anguish, pain, struggle; these four and more plague the best of the best and the frailest of the frailest. We are all in the same boat; no exception.
Therefore, I cheer you on about the new which God most definitely promotes; new hope, new concepts, new beginnings, and new life. Church isn't sitting in pews only. It is awakening to the refreshing wonder God has embedded within each of us. We are designed for more than broken hearts and weary spirits. We are created to walk in victory while striving in the very center of tempting and negative interruption.
The psychology of Adam and Eve, due to sin, was to hide. Each of us carries that same baton down the road until...until Jesus gets through to us that we are free from the need to live in seclusion. He recreates us; restores us. As long as I have been a minister, and even longer as a believer, I still marvel x marvel at the wonder of new Kingdom life!
Originally, I was filled with fear and hesitation. I wanted to preach Bible lessons and teach Bible facts. But, I didn't find it easy to interact with people. Odd, I know, for even from the time I was just a kid I was outgoing and personable. Yet, Christianity did a number on me. I soon heard from the church that we were the only ones right and that we only did things right; believed things right. I transformed immediately into a fearful man. My goal was one: don't get anything wrong.
From experience I found that the Spirit of Jesus broke me free from perpetual nagging fear. It wasn't easy and I haven't arrived. I am, though, making progress. Where I once convinced myself that I was simply always going to be introverted, I found through (odd as it may seem) my own failures that His grace infused a confidence that I had known nothing about. I learned--not inherited--confidence to be found in Jesus.
The working of God is just too weird; so contrary to what I had assumed. The tough stuff blesses. The disappointments bring about spiritual formation. Insults and injuries, originally designed to make us cave, bring about a launching of new conviction of potential and possibility. Fear tries to persuade us not to risk...so that once again we won't be found to be wrong.
The psychology of the first Garden was to impose a very natural kind of hiding for any born into humanity. But the psychology of Jesus is to walk by faith of what can be rather than by fear of what can't. Thank you God! Thank you for rescuing us from our self-arresting and backward thinking. Thank you...for giving us the mind of Christ. May we win the world by following His victory laps!
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