symptoms
Using God to run from God
At times we use these Christian activities as an unconscious escape from the pain
I often do things in God’s name that He did not ask me to do. And l resonate with doing Christian activities as a comfort instead of going to God.
Ignoring the emotions of Anger, Sadness, and Fear
Driving biblical truths into my brain is not a sustainable way for me to force my feelings to follow suite
Dying to the wrong things
God never asks us to annihilate the self… Part of the sanctification process of the Holy Spirit is to strip away the false constructs we have accumulated and enable our true selves to emerge.
Denying the Past’s impact on the Present
I don’t give the past enough credit for how much it affects me. This is an important realization to break free from destructive patterns.
dividing our lives into “Secular” and “Sacred” compartments
Pastor Scazzero’s writing here reminds me of what it means to be in love with someone. You think of them throughout the day. A real relationship. Compartmentalization is for “acquaintances”.
Doing for God instead of being with God
Doing for GOd in a way that is proportionate to our being with God is the only pathwaay to a pure heart and seeing God (see Matthew 5:8)
Spiritualizing Away Conflict
It is exactly how it sounds. Burying conflict under the illusion of being a Christian
Covering over Brokeness, Weakness, and Failure
We are all deeply flawed and broken. There are no exceptions.
I used to see myself as a person who is openly vulnerable and transparent. I don’t think I changed, I was just blind to myself. Insecurity and shame are strong motivators in my life. It makes it hard to be honest with myself and seek accountability on others. P Scazzero talks about the implication of David’s adultery and murder being written in the Bible:
He used his absolute power as king to ensure the details of his colossal failure were publushed in the history books for all generations!
That’s incredible. Freedom from shame — not by “publishing sin” that but before that, because David knows his brokeness and how God sees him.
Living without Limits
Reminds my lowkey of Maslow’s heirarchy of needs… that’s a stretch though. Also a different topic.
When Paul said, “I can do everything though him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:14), the context was that of learning to be content in all circumstances. The strength he received from Christ was not the strength to change, deny, or defy his circumstances; it was te strength to be content in the midst of them, to surrender to God’s living will for him (see Philippians 4:11-13)
Judging Other People’s Spiritual Journey
In some ways, the silence of unconcern can be more deadly than hate
Often I feel judgmental of how others live their life with Christ. I feel like how I do it is “right” or that my church is the best. I don’t try to change people, but I do feel like I care less for them. Like “do it your way, fine” kind of mentality. Not that what they’re doing is wrong, but I end up treating them at a lower level than I treat my closer friends and myself.
Overtime I have come to understand why my parents pray the way they do, especially as we have prayed for my sick and now passed Tita Lolette, and my now sick Lolo. I revere how they pray corporately. I could have seen this earlier had I not been blinded by my own pride and discomfort.