See the lion that God has put in you
Often we struggle, with depression and despondency. A lot of people don’t understand us and they walk away. This really hurts, and so we isolate ourselves even more. We can feel not only forsaken, but cursed. We see ourselves as consummate losers. But these things shouldn’t separate us from our Father’s love. I think He loves “his special needs” children even more, lol.
We must believe that we our transformation is happening, more and more, into the image of Christ. We are becoming like him (hence the word, Christlikeness). This is a long process, but it is happening! God has given his word. Don’t give up. Don’t give up on his plan.
I’m seeing lately that spiritual growth and physical maturity work hand-in-hand (and why shouldn’t they?) As we get older, we will start having many different issues. When your 50 years old, you don’t have the same situations that you had when you were 20, or 14. Physically we grow and understand things differently, and this works into us spiritually. This can kind of blend or meld together, especially when the Word and Spirit are present.
“Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God’s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.”
[Philippians 1:3-6, the Message Bible]
Bryan, It may be true that “A lot of people don’t understand us and they walk away.” But Christ always understands. And then there are those who are also misunderstood because of their spiritual struggles, and to find those people and share our own struggles with them is worth the risk that we might share with someone who does not understand. Just this morning I gave your blog address to someone at church whose daughter has bipolar and is a believer. I am hoping this person will better understand her daughter by reading some of what you have boldly shared here. She admitted she doesn’t understand what is going on with her daughter, but she wants to. Keep up the great work you do here. Peace, Linda
TY, Linda. That particular post was strong. But I wanted to say a couple of things “with a loud voice,” and maybe to overstate a bit. I will look forward to any connection that might happen. I have been crazy-busy the last week, I need to take a day off, I think, lol.