More thoughts...
Okay, now I've been to church and have lots more thoughts. :) Please continue, this is seriously CRUCIAL.
Today the pastor spoke about sin and how sinning can open our lives to the enemy. When we sin, we eventual move on a path, and he outlined it as follows:
Obsession: thoughts...choice...habit
Oppression: habit...loss of control...bondage
Possession: bondage...totally controlled
Though a few of his points really hit home for me, he spoke about how we can have various habits, some good some bad, and that some habits deal with our attitudes. I had never thought of that. We can have a habit of a bitter attitude. We can have a habit of depression. A habit of anger. A habit of fear. A habit of busyness. And the list goes on. But it's interesting, isn't it, that we can have attitudinal habits. If the pastor is correct (and I think so), then there is something very exciting to be said. Because, by mere definition of what a "habit" is, it is a learned and practiced behavior. It's not something inborn. This is exciting news because, then, we always have the potential to break our habits and make new ones. Of course, we need the strength of Christ to overcome, because some of our habits are wrong ones.
In the midst of this, he also spoke about how his goal is to create "normal Christian living." I thought, now what does he mean by this. I sat back in my chair with interest. His definition of "normal Christian living" constitutes three things.
1. Stability (in emotions, actions, thoughts, etc)
2. Strength (in the same things listed above, and in Christ)
3. Impact (of our own lives and those around us)
I want to be a normal Christian who, for the majority of my decisions/actions/thoughts, am victorious in the things of Christ. I won't be perfect, but my goal is that the HUGE majority of my life is of faith, and not of sin.
posted by Ash at 12:24 PM
3 Comments:
Geez. How do you draw a line to tell if you're really normal? Is there really a specific point of normality? If so, I have the feeling that I'll never reach it, or that I often do reach that point. Can you bounce from normalcy to not being normal?
I don't know if it's healthy, but I do, so it is totally possible. My goal for my own life is to stop the bouncing everywhere. If I have a few little bounces, that would be okay, but my own personal goal is consistency. Yikes. That's probably the hardest thing ever. Seriously.
consistency spiritually i venture to say is impossible. simply because the Lord has taken me personally through valleys and up to mountain tops and without that, i would not know him as i do. so maybe that doesnt fit with what you said about normalcy and bumps, but it's what i thought of.
man, that's a good point about attitudes that they are habits. but, thanks for the encouragement ash...habits can be broken with determination and christ's assistance.
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