Want to be rid of trouble in your life? Jonathan Edwards yearned to be free from repeating the same mistakes over and over, just like you and me today. His daily resolutions show this when we study Resolution 24.
24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.
One of the greatest hindrances to my thriving in my life has been my deception to what my real battles are. It seems those of us who were born in "challenging" homes have to face this dilemma or suffer greatly (as well as possibly inflicting suffering) all our lives. I thank God for wise mentors and counsellors who helped me see when I could be greatly offended that I was subconsciously setting up situations to try to "replay" my home setting to try to finally play out the scenes I couldn't make sense of from my childhood. In fact, I treasure Ps. 27:10 for this reason ... Kay's paraphrase: If my Momma and Daddy abandon me; yet will God always be there for me and He's proven it all of my life.
God showed me to honor my mother and father means to acknowledge that they are my parents. Whatever was hurtful or even harmful to me, I must acknowledge and work through the anger and welcome God's love for all, to bring total forgiveness to them. Only when this is sure will I be free to having loving relationships with men and women in my life. Oh, that I had words to communicate the good life God has for all of us when we grasp what He means in honoring our mother and father.
Once I had the original cause of my authority issues clear, I was liberated to have strong supportive relationships with superiors in work, church and other situations. Knowing God is my ultimate authority has been the most liberating truth besides salvation in my life.
I'm convinced no one reaches adult life without pain, betrayal, or some hardship. Can it be that all of us need to do the work to get to the original cause of any craving in us that increases our temptation ot sin?
5 comments:
Yes. Yes. Yes. I think it's VERY important to find all of those 'original causes'. Not just of temptations, but of past "things" we have not forgiven ourselves of. I've actually written a post along these lines, if your interested. It would do a better job explaining why I feel this way, rather than putting it all here.
Oh, ran across your blog via Confident Writing. Glad I did!
Kay, this post has touched me more than any you have written. I have authority issues. I thought it was because I am a "strong woman." I realize now, it is from my challenging childhood home. Girlfriend, I never realized that before! But I am sure you are correct.
Thank you for shinning his light today. I will pray about this muchly!
All of this stems from original sin, interesting enough, Adam and Eve not honoring their Heavenly Father. Deep stuff Kay Martin!
I love your blog and I love you!
Your friend, brother, and fellow servant,
Isaac Fineman :: Greenville, SC
http://servelead.wordpress.com
Oh, have you hit the nail right on the head with this one!!
I, too, had difficulty with authority--the "no one's going to tell me what to do" attitude. As I've been through a lot of mentoring and counseling, I soon realized that this stemmed from issues from long ago, and I was unknowingly creating the same issues all over again in my own family!!
A mentor told me, and I have heard this said since--the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Now, I'm not saying we're "insane", we just didn't know or even realize that we were repeating the same actions.
Trace it back--stop going in circles and change the negative and destructive behaviors into positive!! Someone has to stop or this will just keep repeating itself for generations--??generational sin??
Excellent post, Kay!!
Beth
Yes! Thanks for being real... None of us reach even teen-hood without pain! Thanks for the bold challenge to get to the root of our pain - and to do the hard work it takes to get there! Thanks for you encouragement.
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