**********
We spend so much of our spiritual life focused on "Me". It is when we let the "We" of a walk with God overwhelm us that the life of a victor can really begin to be understood.
God is all about relationship. Our Christian understanding of this God is best described as "three in one." There is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. As you can see from that combination of characters, God is definitely a "We" prospect rather than a "Me" reality. Why would it be any different for you and for me?
Seeing that we are made in the image of God shouldn't we expect to live a "We"existence as well? We too are made up of three parts - Spirit, Soul and Flesh. Just like our creator, our lives should look a lot more like "We" rather "Me."
Yet, we are so quick to default to a "Me" status. When we have problems, we tend to isolate ourselves. When we find ourselves doing things that might be considered sin, we tend to block out others so as to make sure they don't find out about what we are doing.
Our fear of what others think and of rejection by the world drive us to live a very "Me" centered kind of existence. Even some of our Church teachings tend to focus us in the direction of "Me". We ask each other questions like, "What is God's purpose for my life?" and "Am I in the middle of God's Will?" Both questions come from a place of singularity in a reality that is so pluralistic.
I was meeting with a group of friends one Monday morning. These same group of guys have been meeting for several years now. One friend was sharing about some particular challenges he was facing. Unlike so many other groups I have been in, this group has enabled us to be totally open with each other in ways that has made some pretty big changes in our lives possible.
As we listened to some confessions that would have normally brought some kind of judgement and ushered in some kind of Biblical fix, I felt a closeness to this group that was so tangible it isn't even funny. This friend was sharing how he was about to step back into a coping mechanism he has that the rest of the church condemns as sin. Just as he was about to step into the muck and mire all over again, he received a text from one of the others just "checking in."
My friend said that at that moment he felt the power of "We". It was no longer just the "Me" of his existence fighting off the temptations that have overwhelmed us all from time to time. It was the "We" of a God that happened to make it a point to have a dear friend text him at just the exact right moment that made the difference for my friend.
It is when we feel alone, isolated and separate that it is so easy to let the world do what it will to our lives. Not much cultivates victim thinking more than living a "Me" kind of existence. It is when we feel no one is like us or that we are so isolated that no one could love or accept us that the ravages of victim thinking can really take hold.
Check out what the Bible says about living a "Me" kind of life.
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 (NASB)
Living a "Me" kind of life is the epitome of being alone. God saw that it wasn't good for the human race to live in a place of isolation and separation. It is in the power of coming together where the love of God can do things in and through our lives that makes change happen. So it was for Adam. Having a "Me" kind of existence just wasn't right in God's eyes so He made a suitable helper.
That's what we all are when we choose to let the "We" of life overwhelm our "Me" existence. "We" happened when that friend just so happened to contact another Child of God's at the exact right moment. Unwittingly, that friend became a suitable helper in ways that changed the other friend's life. That's the power of "We" living that makes us all more of the victors God has called us to be.
How much of your life today are you going to spend as a rugged individualist? Our society has done a great job at making us believe that going at it alone is the most virtuous and productive way of living. I'm starting to see this to be a lie that has to be broken in my life. It is when I let the "We" of God and the "We" of a relationship with others have influence in my life that I can stand more powerfully and victoriously in my world.
When things come against you today approach God in a different way. Ask Him, "What are we doing right now?" Look for what He is involved in and join Him in that effort. I guarantee you will see things in a different prospective when you realize you are not alone. It is when we can live in the place of "We" that we have an authority that might work to bring us into a deeper place of victor living. That's the place God wants you to dwell - it's a place of community and acceptance. A place where the power of "We" overcomes the victim thinking possibilities of being only a "Me."
No comments:
Post a Comment