Thursday, May 10, 2012

"A certain psychological approach which seems to have gained tremendous popularity among Christians reminds me of the jungle rivers that I used occasionally to travel by canoe. They meandered. It was possible to get where you wanted to go by following the tortuous curves and loops, some of them doubling back almost on themselves. It was also possible to get there on foot by cutting straight through a curve, covering in ten minutes what it would take hours to cover by canoe. 
To search out and sort out and "hang out" all the whys and wherefores of what we call our problems (a few of which just might be plain sins) may be one route to the healing of certain kinds of human difficulties, but I suggest that it may be the longest way home. I say this, I know, at the risk of being labeled simplistic, reductionist, obscurantist.
Psychology describes. The Bible prescribes..... "Help one another to carry these heavy loads, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). "Let your bearing toward one another arise out of your life in Christ Jesus....He made Himself nothing...humbled Himself...accepted death" (Philippians 2:5,7) The woman who had hurt me had plenty of heavy burdens to bear. I knew that very well. How could I help her to bear them? Well, for one thing, by "being offended without taking offense," that is, by following my Master. 
What a relief! I no longer had to plot and plan and cogitate about how to handle my feelings or how to confront my friend or just what to say. My bearing toward her would arise out of my life in Christ Jesus.I couldn't do it myself. He could, and He would enable me. To cut the straight path a good deal of the jungle of my selfishness had to be slashed through. But it was a much shorter way home. " 
-Elisabeth Elliot, Trusting God in a Twisted World

1 comment:

  1. This makes sense- thank you for sharing!!!
    Abigail- my pen name : )

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