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blue1914 -> RE: What is happening to me? (6/20/2008 11:01:04 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: jckm
Nothing traumatic or even bad--although my whole routine has been kind of messsed up with the kids out of school.
Actually, this statement and one that you make later may hold the key-it sounds like when you were in your normal routine, you were able to study the Word of God on a regular basis. With a change, it has become harder to do (and easiser to put off). Now that you are putting down your "roots" and grounding yourself in the foundations of the faith, this is one of the most critical times for you. Seemingly innocuous changes can have a profound effect-One parable that Jesus told was the parable of the seed and the sower:
Matthew 13:3-15, 18-23 (the Message)
3-8"What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.
9"Are you listening to this? Really listening?"
Why Tell Stories?
10The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?"
11-15He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again:
The Meaning of the Harvest Story
18-19"Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road.
20-21"The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.
22"The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it.
23"The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams."
As we can see from the parable, sometimes it's simply life circumstances which come in to take what has been planted-and it sounds like in your case, it may be just that-as your life circumstances have changed, it's harder to stay in the same place you were when you first believed.
The way to combat that is to be the one who hears and takes in the News-by grounding yourself in the Word on a very regular basis because believe it or not, the "cares of this world" are carefully contrived obstacles set in your path in the spiritual realm (by the other side) to keep you from accomplishing your mission (hence the "illusions about getting more"-not REAL concerns per se, but spiritual roadblocks set up-by the other side-in the form of worries and doubts about "life" that can shift your attention. They seem real to you and they are real in the natural (car breaks down, etc. etc.), but they are not as bad as the effect they can have on your faith if you allow them.)
quote:
ORIGINAL: jckm
I have actually just recently become a Christian so I haven't even found a church that I really feel comfortable in. I haven't been reading my bible like I was before the kids were home all the time.
Oh brother (or sister) I will be praying that the Lord will change this for you "post haste" as you just can't make it out here on your own (especially as a new believer)-God made us to be in community-to bear one another's burdens, to encourage each other and to strengthen each other in faith-at a time like this, the companionship of faithful brothers and sister around you would have such a huge impact on your well being-they would be praying for you, lifting you up and holding you accountable. I will be praying for you now, but I do so encourage you to seek the Lord on finding a church home!
quote:
ORIGINAL: jckm
I'm not trying to run away, I know I need His help with this but I feel like there is something keeping me from reaching Him.
And please let me apologize -I was not trying to imply by any means that you were trying to run away from Him at all-I was speaking a little from my own experiences in that type of situation where indeed it does seem like something is keeping me FROM Him-it's not running per se, but it's not pulling close either-and it becomes a form of "de facto" running since He is moving forward and I am not moving with Him-see what I mean? He's not running away from me, He's just still moving and by standing still He gets further and further away as I stand watching Him move. That's also what I was referring to above-it doesn't seem like much, but those "cares of this world" that are pressing down are carefully contrived illusions from the other side meant to keep you from your goal.
Also, please let me a apologize if I have come on too strong-I sometimes jump in a little intensely, but this thread struck me deeply because I am currently struggling with issues of faith right now myself and I have had to confront exactly why-as I'm on the "road back", I see where I jumped off the path and what I need to do differently to ensure I don't derail again. Thank you!
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