"Every spiritual journey takes us to the hardest realities in our lives, the monsters within us, our shadows and strongholds, our willful flesh, and our inner demons. It is essential that we understand these enemies within us or we will inevitably project them outward on to other people" (205).
This quote makes me think of our basic human biology. Whatever we choose to eat or drink throughout the day, our body uses in order to allow us to move, think, breathe, and so on. Our body uses what it needs then excretes what it doesn't need. Thus, what comes in, comes out. If we're eating healthily - fruits, vegetables, wheats, etc. - then we're projecting healthiness outward; however, when we eat "junk" we only release and project "junk" outward onto others. I think about what Reid tells the staff every Memorial Day / Driver Week about the importance of having our daily devotional time with the Lord because when we're not spending the time to develop, maintain, and/or improve our relationship with Him, it makes it impossible for us to develop, maintain, and/or improve our relationships with others. That's because we need the goodness and purity of the Lord each morning to sustain and provide us the necessary "energy" for the day; when we fail to take that time with Him, we instead take in junk to try to find fulfillment and find that "energy" to sustain us throughout the day. As we all know, that always falls short. One-Hundred percent reliance on the Lord is absolutely necessary for our own person to journey (THE JOURNEY! <-- I don't know what this is from but I just know we say it!) through the challenges/obstacles of everyday life, but it is also absolutely necessary in terms of our relationships (befriending, encouraging, modeling, and inviting) to others! Thus, as Scazzero states, we must be aware of "the monsters within us" to avoid projecting those monstrosities onto others.
In my life, I know these monsters are self-criticism as well as judgment of others, unwholesome thoughts, reacting vs. responding, acting impatiently, etc. I find that as I become aware of my "monsters" it allows me to improve upon those aspects of my character that need rebuking, but it also allows me to be aware of the ways I treat and relate to others.
Love you all - can't wait to hear about the training weekends!!!
Thanks Josh! Totally random thought - last night I was watching the mentalist tv show and it was in a little town on the border in Texas. Made me totally think of you. Truth be told I was looking for you in the background the whole episode. :) how is that for emotional health!!
ReplyDeleteThis is kind of serious and dark - but with my limited awareness of unseen spiritual realm of darkness the evil messengers/monsters usually take on names like "condemnation," "shame," "accuser," "unworthy," and curse with phrases like "I hate myself," "God doesn't love me." "I am alone." Your tie of unwholesome thoughts to monsters for me personally was vivid, accurate, and appropriate. After reading your post, I felt compelled to pray - II Cor. 10:5 - "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Your post brought some great focus and clarity to my mind and heart today Josh! Thanks.
ReplyDelete