Finding Health

I struggle, yes, I sin

In my travels I have been made more self-aware. I recognize my own struggles more easily and openly these days. I want to be transparent, but I also want to have nothing for you to find when I am transparent. We all want others to be honest, but are fearful of being too open ourselves.

In worship last week I thought deeply about these ideas as the preacher talked about the heartache he brought to God throughout his life and how he really loves God and doesn't want to hurt Him. I realized we usually don't say too much about our personal struggles, other than that we have struggles. When do we admit we aren't perfect? Many times we wear masks and attempt to look like we have it all together.


So there is a message I want to share: "Saints are Sinners Saved by Grace"

The message goes something like this...

Please note to yourself where you have failed this past week, let's start with "The 7 Deadly Sins":

• Lust
  
• Gluttony
  
• Greed
  
• Sloth
• Wrath
• Envy
• Pride

These are all found in the Bible, but aren't exactly in one easily found list... so let's collect up a few other lists:

Romans 1: 28-32
"And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." (ESV)

Galatians 5:19-21
"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (ESV)

Revelations 21:8
"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (ESV)

There are other lists... but I think you get the point. We all struggle, we all need forgiveness and grace. God knows this, individually we know this, and collectively we know this, however we struggle to admit it for fear of ______ (fill in the blank). Are we afraid others will know our secret - that we are not perfect? Or is it that we are afraid we'll have to admit what that struggle is to another person? What are we afraid of really? Being judged by others? I think there are many more fears and concerns I haven't addressed, and all of these are why we prefer to simply talk with God and only God about our struggles.

We need to purify our hearts and minds. We need to find a friend that can be our confidant - someone that isn't just keeping a secret (that would be far to simple), but someone who can encourage us to grow in God's grace and love. Someone who will bless us with God's blessings of forgiveness, grace, mercy, and accountability.

Talking with a new friend she said it like this, "What is the most popular isle in the store? The discount isle - the ones with all the stuff that has been used, nicked, dented, scratched, broken, worn and returned, all these things are really desirable. The same goes for people." The ones that are broken in, well worn, aware of their flaws and accepting of others - these people are also desirable, not just to other people, but to God.

Humanity Wrapped in Humility
An older preacher friend told me about his ministry before failure - it was nonexistent. He didn't really connect with people. They thought he was too perfect. Then he went to Africa and failed. The team he was on didn't get along and they all came back early... and he immediately was able to connect to the people around him.

Why? Because he was more aware of his own failure and so were they. They could see he had experience as a human being that was real, not something he learned in a book. They could see it on his face, they could hear it as he preached, they could watch him live in God's grace daily. His life was meaningful because he could embrace his humanity with humility.

Focus
What I propose is this... don't focus on your sin, focus on God's grace! Recognize your sin, accept that you are a person and therefore sinful. Seek God's grace and mercy through forgiveness and if needed baptism into Christ. Then keep your focus on Jesus. Think more about your goals than the gutter. When we focus on the gutter that is where we will end up. If we focus on our fears - they will arrive. However if we focus on our goals of godliness then they will be our destination.

I write all of this because I have been afraid of becoming like so many others - sick, sinfully sick to the point of utter life failure. I am reminded again and again that I need to focus on health, not my fears. I need to find healthy spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical goals that represent a balanced approach to life.

So, I ask for your prayers, encouragement, and blessings as I journey towards Jesus focusing on a healthy hearing of His word and obedience to His Spirit.


Find the Vice, then find the Virtue to focus on:

Lust vs. Purity = Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of body and thought through education and betterment.

Gluttony vs. Self-control = Practicing restraint, self-control, abstention, moderation.

Greed vs. Generosity = Willingness to give. A nobility of thought or actions.

Sloth vs. Diligence = A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. Decisive work ethic. Budgeting one's time; monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness. Putting forth full concentration in one's work

Wrath vs. Patience = Forbearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence. The ability to forgive; to show mercy to sinners.

Envy vs. Kindness = Love, compassion, friendship, and sympathy without prejudice and for its own sake.

Pride vs. Humility = Modest behavior and the giving of respect. Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying one's own self.

Injustice vs. Justice = Honesty, and the giving of righteousness. Being fair or telling the truth. Doing what is right and not what is wrong. It is the light of truth that conquers the dark of the wrong. Equity, impartiality.

Accepting God's Grace
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (ESV)

Romans 3:21-28
"Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn't by obeying the Law of Moses. God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life's blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus. What is left for us to brag about? Not a thing! Is it because we obeyed some law? No! It is because of faith. We see that people are acceptable to God because they have faith, and not because they obey the Law." (CEV)

Matthew 28:18-20
"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'" (CEV)