A bit ago, I finished a good and very short (108 pgs) book called
The Cure: What if God isn't who you think He is and neither are you. It was recommended by one of our leaders in the Redemption Group a few months back. It is written in a unique (and partly bothersome, to Dave) way with a intro section, kind of allegorical, followed by what is an explanation-type section. I really liked it because it challenged me to see myself in light of my identity in Christ...that my works don't gain His favor nor my lack of works gain His displeasure...that living under grace is far better than living under good intentions...that loving more is a far higher goal than sinning less. Lots of interesting and challenging and hmmm-can-that-really-be thoughts (I'm not quite sure I completely agree with all their conclusions). I'm actually hoping someone else will read this so I can dialogue with them about it...any takers? :)
Here's a somewhat lengthy, and not one of the more edgy, concepts in the book (pgs 46-47):
Almost every book on fighting sin focuses on how we can react better at the moment of temptation. Thousands of tips and techniques are laid out to keep us from acting out. While helpful, these books miss the point: We didn't reach this moment randomly. We got here by gradually distorTing our view of God back there.
Those prevention tools made sense until we allowed ourselves to entertain a thought that would eventually lead us into crisis. The moment those safeguards are needed, it's too late. We no longer want them to help. We are now way past wanting to do right. The problem is actually rooted far back when our course was fundamentally altered. The problem is our distorted picture of God.
That distortion is a pall over our eyes, keeping light out.
That distortion is there because we believe these five things about God:
1. God can't satisfy me as much as this sin.
2. I've always been this way. I don't believe you're powerful enough to change that.
3. There is something fundamentally wrong with me.
4. I don't believe God has been fully good to me.
5. I'm going to feel like a failure anyway, I might as well enjoy it!
These are the root beliefs behind the permission we give ourselves to fail. They all are formed from picturing God separated from us.
As that point, it's only a matter of time, opportunity and our particular areas of vulnerability.
That's why this is a big deal.
Those in the Room of Grace are continually allowing God to work on removing the pall from their eyes. Light pours in, and they are in the process of being freed to live beyond preoccupation over their next failure.
Those in the Room of Good Intentions are rarely willing to confront those five statements. They're too busy covering their tracks and grinding it out against temptation. The great regret is they know they've already given themselves permission to fail.
In fact, the insidious truth about sin is that fighting it only serves to heighten the anticipated pleasure.
If you ever want to truly connect with a family member or friend who has issues of repeated failure, reaching the root of those five distortions about God will help you resolve and heal sin issues exponentially better than techniques tailored to a moment, or prevention gimmicks that works just fine until you don't want them to. The fruit will be a lifetime of conversation, hope, protection, and healing.
If we see God through a veil of shame, we'll think the goal is to "fix" the behavior. Shame wants us constantly trying to prove we're not as bad as we imagine. In the Room of Grace, however, we're learning to believe we are no longer identified by our shame. Our God doesn't see us that way, and He doesn't need us to see ourselves that way. We're free to trust His delight and love even in the midst of our erratic, maturing behaviors. He wants us to learn dependence on Him instead of performance. We're learning to trust His power in us. The beauty is, we actually fail less in doing so.
----So, if you're wanting a quick read to get some thoughts churning, you may want to pick up this book.
