Re (2): living among the dead

Eric,

Dying is hard. But as you said, once we have seen the face of God, there is no going back. Our death is an accomplished fact. We belong to Jesus, body and soul, and not ourselves. We live, yet not us but Christ in us, and the life we now live can only be lived in and through Him. Often the most ardent lover clamoring for our attention is our self, especially our will. It doesn't die without a fight. We often mistake our will for God's will, and it can lead to disaster if it goes unchecked, as you pointed out about politics, and as history has proven.

I've been struggling with some serious cognitive dissonance myself lately, especially in the past week. I don't deal well with betrayal, and I tried to just let it roll off me and bless those who curse me; but in my case, instead of lashing out at others, I tend to turn my anger on myself and end up in the abyss of depression. It's hard to remember those good words that have been planted in your heart when you're in the throes of dark emotion. Thank God for Christian friends who will surround us with songs of deliverance.

At any rate, I've been berating myself for succumbing to the dark thoughts and feelings I've had lately, so I appreciated Tony's reminder that it is not what goes in, but what comes out that defines defilement. And I remembered, when I read that, a verse from the Psalms "I have kept the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."

I wondered after your response to me regarding all your studies how you stayed close to God in all that. I couldn't do it. When I determined to live and walk as close to God as it is possible to do in this world, to know Him in the deepest, most real sense possible, to know Him as He is and not just know things about Him, I shut many things out of my life to spend that time with Him.

I'm not suggesting you should give up all or any of what else is in your life. Only you know where God is leading you. I can only speak to how He has led me. Not continuing on in pursuit of a higher degree and a different career was one thing I needed to do. I found, personally, that I could not be in that environment part of the day, work full time, and stay close to God. He just wasn't here when I got home, so to speak. Then the TV watching had to go.

I think it's remarkable that you can do what you do. It is undoubtedly a gift from God. It must be hard for you to strike a balance. But thank God, you, too, are surrounded with songs of deliverance.

• Re(3): living among the dead - By Eric October 25, 2004 at 02:39:29 PM
  • Re(4): living among the dead - By Becky October 31, 2004 at 03:01:30 PM
    • Re(5): living among the dead - By Eric October 31, 2004 at 07:52:20 PM
      • Re(6): living among the dead - By Becky November 9, 2004 at 09:21:29 AM
        • Re(7): living among the dead - By Eric November 14, 2004 at 12:58:07 PM
      • Re(6): living among the dead - By Bill November 1, 2004 at 01:22:54 PM
  • Re(4): living among the dead - By Karen October 25, 2004 at 05:21:16 PM
    • Re(5): living among the dead - By Eric October 25, 2004 at 06:19:18 PM
• Re(3): living among the dead - By Bill October 25, 2004 at 01:21:18 PM