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At the end of many NA meetings there's usually a moment of silence for the addicts "who will lose there life to addiction and the children who have no say so in the matter". In the course of getting clean many of us addicts are encouraged to find a God that's "loving caring and more powerful than ourselves". I myself went to great lengths in this endeavor to avoid Christ. I was afraid as I ventured into various churches that everyone knew the kind of life I've lived.
But recently I've come to the realization that us "addicts" aren't the only ones with skeletons rattling in the closet. Personally I was raised on "little white lies" . I've since read the Bible from cover in several translations and have yet to find the chart for color coding lies. Personally I've found that when skeletons are removed from the closet they cease to rattle.
With us Christians if we aren't careful our fellowship can dwindle to listening to some music, doing some praising and worshiping, but not really getting to know each other. Personally I view fellowship and my relationship with Christ on a save my rear basis.
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I'm guilty of not taking time to get to know my fellow Christians. I'm also aware that everything about the Christian lifestyle goes against the society's standards. If we aren't transparent with each other we'll never be able to give each other the gut level love that we may need to survive.
I don't know where I'm going with this except to say that my prayer for myself is to be as transparent as I can. I know I'd like to think that I can fool the folks at church about my own struggles but we are part of the body for a reason.
I went to an Ancient paths seminar which really helped me to realize that even an addict like myself wasn't so much different than the person I was sitting next to in the pew.
Boy it sure took me a long time to mention that cell groups are a good idea. I'll sure be glad when they get back into full swing at my home church. |
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"even an addict like myself wasn't so much different than the person I was sitting next to in the pew."
How I wish that every addict knew this ... and I mean of every addiction too! So often "addicts" hide their addictions, and maybe themselves, in the shadows, b/c Satan's lies include no one will understand, you have to deal with this alone, no one will forgive you, you don't belong with these people until you clean yourself up, etc. I think most of us really can identify with this too, whether it was smoking, drinking, internet porn, shopping, eating, and on and on....
And YES, cell groups, small groups, home church, whatever you want to call it, IS most definitely a good great idea! Cannot agree with you more, Dave!!! ~mike |
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I love this: I'm also aware that everything about the Christian lifestyle goes against the society's standards. If we aren't transparent with each other we'll never be able to give each other the gut level love that we may need to survive.
This really struck me, and made me think. I think today we try to keep an outward appearance of doing well, but if we come to a level with each other - humbly before the Master- we find strength in unity and can build each other up in love, learning from each others struggles. We also bring glory to God when we have reached to top and climbed over our affliction - to even greater glory to God with witnesses to the struggle. Maybe I am not making sense on paper, but it is moving in my heart...Thank you for sharing! |
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| Thanks Mike and Danielle, I think the enemy would like nothing better than to have us isolated trying to fix ourselves. |
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Dave, great post!!
I keyed in on the same line that Danielle hit on. Transparency goes away the moment we allow sin in our lives. What is the first thing Adam did? Hid from God. We get really good at hiding, too. We can even pretend that we are not hiding while still hiding in our shells - maybe instead of "we" I should say "I".
Like Mike said, most of us have destructive behaviors in our life...it is called sin...and the wages of sin is death. We can hide it, cover it, call it something else, but the bottom line is that as we slowly conform to the image of Christ, we become more and more transparent and the logs in our eyes become revealed. We are faced with a choice - hide it some more or stand up and say, Here I am, Lord. |
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| I like that voice here I am Lord |
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