Tag: christian identity

Spiritually and Emotionally Overwhelmed

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality BlogLeave a comment
Gethsemane – His Will, by Lucy Dickens

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
    from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2, NRSV)

“You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.” – Timber Hawkeye

Even Jesus got overwhelmed.

He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:37-39, New International Version)

Jesus was so spiritually and emotionally overwhelmed, he felt so bad, that depression and grief were a powerful part of his experience in the garden as he anticipated facing his horrendous death.

Yes, Jesus became grieved and depressed. Not only did he express such emotions in prayer, but he also told his feelings to his disciples. I personally don’t know of any leader – either in the world or in the church – that would ever admit such a thing to his/her parishioners, employees, or constituents.

Christ confessed that his very soul was encircled with grief-stricken depression. The weight of the emotion was so heavy that Jesus felt as though he was being crushed to death.

“It is one thing for Jesus to feel this way; but should a leader tell his followers he feels this way? Isn’t a part of effective leadership keeping fears from followers? But if Jesus having depression has already taught us it is acceptable, at times, to be depressed, then Jesus talking about his depression teaches that it is acceptable, at times, for leaders to tell followers the bad state of their souls.” – Frederick Dale Bruner, The Church Book: Matthew 13-28

If Jesus needed human companionship and the ability to bear his soul, then how much more do his followers need to do so? And especially the clerics who are ordained to his ministry?

Becoming overwhelmed is a universal human experience:

May my prayer come before you;
    turn your ear to my cry.

I am overwhelmed with troubles
    and my life draws near to death.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
    I am like one without strength. (Psalm 88:2-4, New International Version)

We may become overwhelmed by being devastated or feeling overpowered by a confluence of circumstances all at once. To be overwhelmed is to experience several big emotions all at once – including an awful feeling of estrangement from God and/or others.

Whenever complicated grief, relational distance, traumatic experiences, and too many responsibilities come together, they create a perfect storm which can leave us stuck, lonely, and chronically tired.

There are times when it seems as if every time we turn around, there’s another big shoe that drops. We might end up dealing with so many large circumstances and important situations happening at the same time, that we become spiritually and emotionally overwhelmed with it all.

Although it’s easy to become overwhelmed, it’s hard to get over those big, troubled feelings. Yet, we can do it. We can initially calm ourselves enough to function.

Yet, we also need to understand that the emotional array surrounding our difficult circumstances will take more than a few minutes and a few breathing exercises to overcome; it could take weeks, months, even longer.

What’s more, going forward, there will always be a need to listen to our bodies, be attentive to our feelings, and remain in touch with our gut instincts.

We could use some helpful habits to serve us well, whenever we sense the tug toward that sinking feeling of becoming spiritually and emotionally overwhelmed:

  • Sit with your emotions, especially the grief. That is, acknowledge your feelings, and actually let yourself feel them, and express them in positive ways that don’t damage others or their property.
  • Identify and list your current stressors. Then, prioritize them as to which you will work on first. Avoid multi-tasking. Breaking down your life into manageable pieces, done over time with patience, is a healthy way of approaching the behemoth in front of you.
  • Write out your experiences. Keep a daily journal. Focus on expressing both your emotions and your gratitude. The act of writing in and of itself is a powerful means of bringing health, wholeness, and some sort of sense to your situations.
  • Create art. Learn a musical instrument, write your own poetry, sculpt, or paint. Let any anger and frustration come out through your art, rather than coming out sideways onto others through verbal violence.
  • Discover new or alternative spiritual practices, i.e. mindfulness, meditation, Reiki, aromatherapy, breath prayers, etc. Crazy new circumstances you’ve never experienced before may require some seemingly new or strange practices you’ve never tried before.
  • Change the story you are telling yourself. Look for parts of your experience within your control. Learn from the past. Consider what you might do differently in the future in similar situations. In other words, let your story not be one big nasty carbuncle on your soul; allow it to be a companion that teaches you.
  • Consider having a comfort animal. Caring for a pet fosters emotional healing. This one addition to your life could change it immeasurably for good.
  • Engage your inner critic. Face the judgment you may be giving yourself and replace it with grace. Work on dropping the ego and becoming your true self. And there is perhaps no better way of this happening than facing your inner critic.
  • Exercise. Pay attention to where you carry stress in your body. Find an enjoyable way of moving your body.
  • Connect with others. Join a group of like-minded people, such as a faith community or a volunteer organization. Tell your story to another trusted person, such as a friend, therapist, or pastor.
  • Find your identity. Most spiritual traditions take a high view of humanity as having intrinsic worth. As for me, I know to whom I belong: God. Having my identity firmly in Christ – and not in my abilities, or the lack of them – makes all the difference.

Our limitations, screw-ups, diseases, disorders, and disasters need not define our lives. There is no shame in admitting when we are full of sorrow, in the throes of grief, experiencing depression, or living in an awful situation.

Taking Jesus as an example, we have the courage to face stressful adversity and become the people we were always meant to become.

May the places of darkness within you be turned towards the light. And may you know divine shelter and healing blessing when you are called to stand in the place of pain. Amen.

Accept One Another (Romans 15:7-13)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Christian Unity, by Gisele Bauche

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
    I will sing the praises of your name.”

Again, it says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
    let all the peoples extol him.”

And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse will spring up,
    one who will arise to rule over the nations;
    in him the Gentiles will hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (New International Version)

Anyone who desires to follow the pattern of Christ, actively seeks and promotes the acceptance of one another.

Jesus is the Christian’s model: Christ did not seek to be served, but to serve, and give himself for the benefit of others. The ministry of Christ was meant for the whole world, and not just for some persons. Christ’s mission and ministry included non-Jews, and not only his own Jewish people.

The person and work of Jesus Christ confirmed the promises made to the original Jewish patriarchs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jesus did nothing brand new; he was simply upholding and actively seeking to accept Gentiles and bring them to God. This has always been true of God’s plan and purpose – which is why the Apostle Paul cited four different Old Testament passages.

All four references are to the Gentiles, to non-Jewish persons. And this is why Paul himself had a ministry to Gentiles. The biblical verses mentioned by the Apostle include Gentiles who offer praise to God; Gentiles engrafted alongside Jews as God’s people; and Gentiles who put their hope in the root of Jesse, the Messiah.

The good news of Jesus Christ is an inclusive – not exclusive – message. Thus, Christian ministry is designed to include others, to bring them into the fold of those who are redeemed by God.

Christian community is made up of all kinds of people from every race and ethnicity – without exception, and without favoritism.

The Apostle Paul made it clear to the Roman Church of both Jew and Gentile that his bedrock Christian ethic was one of inclusion and care for others. He supported his ethical understanding from Holy Scripture.

Paul was concerned that the Church include all sorts of Christ followers who may have some differing understandings and practices in living out their own Christian faith.

The Body of Christ is designed and meant to be big enough, strong enough, and resilient enough to handle all sorts of people who together want to follow Christ and serve others, like Jesus did.

The Apostle’s prayer is one of hope, having everyone in the church be accepting of one another. Paul wanted all Christians to work and worship together as the one people of God who live according to the pattern of Christ.

The Christian model of living is based not upon dietary laws or special days; it instead has it’s foundation in the example of Christ’s earthly ministry. All Christians are to:

  • glorify God together for the divine mercy shown to them
  • rejoice together as a unified voice expressing faith, hope, and love
  • share together in the hope that God’s promises are and will be fulfilled completely in Christ

God fills us with joy and peace, and causes us to overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit – made possible because of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Since God grants faith to whomever God wants to grant faith; and since the Holy Spirit fills whomever the Spirit wants to fill, we are, therefore, to accept those whom God has already accepted – without exception, and without prejudice.

For the Apostle Paul, the church’s identity was at stake. Paul was concerned for two questions:

  1. Will the church be, at its core, a community of redeemed persons by the grace of God who center all their lives around the person and work of Jesus?
  2. Or will the church be a community of opinionated individuals and groups all jockeying for position to have their way on how they believe things should go?

You can tell what a person’s identity is by their “identity markers.”

For the Jewish Christians, Sabbath-keeping, circumcision, food laws, and holding to certain days on the calendar marked their identity as God’s people. Those issues were so important that if you took them away, there would be an identity crisis; the people felt totally lost without their traditions.

For Gentile Christians, their identity was built around being more free-thinking. So, if you take away their freedom and ability to choose, the Gentiles will go nuts and have an identity meltdown. 

Paul’s answer was for both Jew and Gentile to accept one another and build their unity around Jesus, period. They needed to be sensitive to each other and focus on their shared identity of Jesus as the center of the Christian life.

It is very difficult to have hope, peace, and spiritual power, whenever there is disunity. The lack of acceptance is typically like a cancer which invades the Body and destroys it, unless there is a spiritual intervention.

Acceptance of others is more than a nice idea; and it doesn’t mean that we overlook differences of convictions or dogma. It just means that we choose to focus on what is most important. And for the Apostle Paul, that meant having a unity around the pattern of Christ.

Loving Lord, you came not to be served but to serve. Empower us to bless one another and our neighbors, so that your spirit of generosity, compassion, and selfless action transform us and the people in our midst. We pray together, as the one people of God, that you will guide us in your way; through Jesus Christ our Savior, in the strength of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“I Choose You!” (Ephesians 1:3-6)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He did this by predestining us to adoption as his legal heirs through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will—to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son. (New English Translation)

There is perhaps no greater sense of worth, security, and love, than stating with sincerity and conviction to another, “I choose you!”

That is exactly what God has done for us. In fact, the Lord chose us and included us before we were even born into this world. Our identity is secure in belonging to God because it isn’t based in any of the screw-ups I did yesterday or the bad decisions I made years ago. Christian identity is based solely and completely by the choice and action of God, in Christ, through the Spirit.

People tend to live up to how they view themselves, to how they self-identify. So, it is critical to our well-being how we truly understand self, others, and God.

If we see ourselves as never getting ahead and needing to lie, cheat, and steal to obtain anything in this life, then we will view ourselves as common thieves.

If we think the only way to have love and security in this life is to hustle for it – to make ourselves as presentable as we possibly can, then we will view ourselves as basically unlovely and search for love in all the wrong places by trying to keep up appearances.

If we look at ourselves as stupid, then we will tend to make poor decisions even when it’s in our ability to make good choices because we see ourselves as unable to compete with those smarter than us. 

The common theme in all these scenarios are people living apart from God. Without the Lord Jesus, we are like lost street children trying to survive from day to day. What we need, what we search for and long for, is to have a good, blessed life in a loving home, a place to belong in a world of disconnection.

To be “blessed,” to have “blessing” in the Holy Scriptures, is to have God’s stamp of approval on your life. It is to know, experience, and feel Divine favor resting upon you.

The picture being painted at the very beginning of Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus is of wayward children roaming the streets as orphans. The Ephesians were ensconced in their idol worship of Artemis, the fertility cult goddess. They were going about life without a whim about the true and living God.

Out of sheer grace, God plucked them from their worthless condition and adopted them. God placed blessing upon them because of love and gave them a reason to rejoice and praise.

What’s more, the Ephesians were chosen and predestined for holiness and purity. God set them apart for divine blessing. It’s as if God brought them into the kingly palace, provided lavishly for them, and let them have the run of the place. They get to enjoy every privilege that comes with being children of the king.

The focus and orientation of today’s New Testament lesson is about how tremendously special the believer in Jesus really is. And it has nothing to do with how presentable we are to a holy God. Instead, out of the vast storehouse of blessed grace, God chose and adopted. The Lord looked upon you and me with googly divine eyes and said, “I choose you!”

God chooses from a place of divine pleasure. Yes, that’s right. God chooses, predestines, and adopts with a willing heart because it brings great pleasure and divine joy to do so!

There was no arm-twisting from the Father to the Son in securing redemption for lost humanity. And there was no persuasion necessary for the Father and Son to send the Spirit for our ongoing benefit and help in this life. Each redemptive event of Jesus was done out of the grace and love of God in Christ through the Spirit.

Do you see how God views you? Do you know how special you truly are?  Have you an understanding of the incredible position and majesty you have as a human being in God’s image and likeness?

As a child of the king, you live up to the position you know you possess. Freedom from worry and anxiety don’t come from willpower, but from an understanding that God owns all things, and we will never be in need. 

Deliverance from the power of darkness doesn’t come by trying to do better; it comes through the knowledge that God has redeemed us and chosen us to live in the gracious realm of divine love forever. There is no need to hustle for love with God because you and I already have it.

The believer has every spiritual blessing in Christ. God has your back. We belong to God. And to belong to Jesus Christ is to be blessed. It makes all the difference in the world. It is our reason for gratitude and praise, and for settled peace and glorious rest.

Gracious God, your loving activity has snatched me from the barren streets of sin and brought me into a realm of incredible blessing. Thank you for blessing me and giving me a place to belong forever; through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit reign forever and ever in a celebration of redeeming love.  Amen.

Hang In There (1 Corinthians 7:17-24)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. (New International Version)

Whenever a person converts to Christianity and becomes a follower of Jesus, they experience new life. They don’t, however, experience reincarnation. They’re still the same person – not a different one altogether.

If the convert was married, it doesn’t matter if their spouse is a convert, or not; they’re still married and need to hang in there and remain married, albeit with a new way of being with them.

There is no magical wiping away of situations, circumstances, jobs, family, and relationships with becoming a Christian. Hopefully, a new orientation of grace, truth, and love begins to permeate it all. But all those people and situations are still there, and need to be dealt with.

So, the Apostle Paul gave some very practical social instruction to the Corinthian converts to Christ. He was rather pointed in communicating to them in not using the occasion of conversion to go someplace else and/or be with someone else. Nor is it proper to daydream of a reincarnated life; stick with the new redeemed life you have received.

The place where you became a Christian is the place to start living the Christian life. Obey God, follow the Lord’s words and ways, live out your redemption right there. Why? Because your new identity as belonging to God – not your marital status, vocation, or anything else – defines your life and determines how you are to live. And Paul was consistent on that instruction in all of the churches he established.

For the Jew in Paul’s day, circumcision was the defining mark of religion and identity. To marry an uncircumcised non-Jewish person was unthinkable; it defiled a relationship and made it impure. But the Apostle insisted that Jewishness (or non-Jewishness) isn’t actually the point of living the Christian life. What’s really important is obeying God’s call and following Christ’s commands, period.

Therefore, the convert ought to stay where they are – no matter what their marital status or social position is. Believing in Christ and following Jesus transcends all of it. Whether one is a slave, or not, faith obliterates any and all obstacles to God. If a person comes to faith and converts to Christianity, they still might be in human bondage; but they have freedom in Christ.

Hopefully, the slave’s spiritual freedom will work itself out in actual physical freedom. The point, however, is that – whether slave or free – the person belongs to God and neither bondage nor freedom will ever hinder the individual from realizing spiritual redemption.

In many different ways, we are all both slaves and free persons. The best situation is to be a bondservant of Christ and a slave to no one else. Yet, if circumstances are not ideal, the reality is that one’s union with Christ can never be severed by any human institution or authority.

Once we convert, and enter into a life-giving free relationship with God in Christ, Paul exhorts all believers to be vigilant: Don’t slip back into old ways of spiritual bondage and capitulate to a shameful society. After all, Christ – whom the convert serves – has paid the true ultimate sacrifice of himself on the cross for the sake of all humanity.

So, hang in there, stay in the place and position where you were called by God, and reorient your life with Christ in the middle of it. In doing this, every believer can persevere through adversity, hold onto the gift of faith, and make a difference in the society to which one belongs.

Blessed and holy God, grant us the Spirit of wisdom and discernment so that we may know Christ better and love you more. Give us an understanding heart so that we may be open to hear your divine voice, and the courage to walk in the way of your commands.

Use us, your people who belong to Christ, to be your hands and feet – your voice and heart, so that we may be a channel through which you pour out your grace to help others – may we decrease and Christ increase, so that Jesus is seen in our lives, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.