Self-development/New age and Christ

[Jim1995]

Hey there,

About a year ago, I became a believer in Christ after being heavily involved in New Age practices and self-development for 5-6 years. The transition was tough, as I experienced nightmares and some friends and family distanced themselves from me. It felt like my whole world was turned upside down. One of the first things I focused on was working on my ego, dying to self, and becoming a new creation in Christ. After a few months, I delved into Bible studies, immersed myself in the Word, and sought to understand its relevance to my life. I let go of self-help, meditation, hypnotherapy, and subliminals for power.

Gradually, I began rebuilding myself with Christ, incorporating practices like cold showers, fitness, red light therapy, and nootropics to improve myself. Unfortunately, I fell back into listening to subliminal tracks to make myself smarter and more driven. The nightmares returned, and I sensed a negative change within me. I realized that this was not good; I was trying to change myself through my own efforts. Subliminals, in particular, led me astray as their content can quickly become adulterated and unknown. I repented but still don't feel great about it. The challenge is that I'm a teacher and mental coach. I've always believed in the need to understand and help oneself in order to improve. However, my faith teaches me to rely entirely on Jesus and use the Bible as the path to growth.

I struggle with not reverting back to the self-help trend, which I genuinely enjoy. I've always been drawn to the idea of self-improvement. However, like most self-help practices, it's rooted in not feeling enough and constantly striving to be better. On the other hand, God created us to create, work, and improve ourselves. it feels like 90-95% is good, but that 5% is rooted in evil. It changes very fast into visualisation, manifestation, etc. etc.

How do you guys navigate this? Especially for those who were part of the self-help community before coming to Christ. Do you have any tips or advice? I find it incredibly challenging to reconcile faith with worldly things. It almost feels impossible to me.

Kind Regards,

Jim

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Hey there,

About a year ago, I became a believer in Christ after being heavily involved in New Age practices and self-development for 5-6 years. The transition was tough, as I experienced nightmares and some friends and family distanced themselves from me. It felt like my whole world was turned upside down. One of the first things I focused on was working on my ego, dying to self, and becoming a new creation in Christ. After a few months, I delved into Bible studies, immersed myself in the Word, and sought to understand its relevance to my life. I let go of self-help, meditation, hypnotherapy, and subliminals for power.

Gradually, I began rebuilding myself with Christ, incorporating practices like cold showers, fitness, red light therapy, and nootropics to improve myself. Unfortunately, I fell back into listening to subliminal tracks to make myself smarter and more driven. The nightmares returned, and I sensed a negative change within me. I realized that this was not good; I was trying to change myself through my own efforts. Subliminals, in particular, led me astray as their content can quickly become adulterated and unknown. I repented but still don't feel great about it. The challenge is that I'm a teacher and mental coach. I've always believed in the need to understand and help oneself in order to improve. However, my faith teaches me to rely entirely on Jesus and use the Bible as the path to growth.

I struggle with not reverting back to the self-help trend, which I genuinely enjoy. I've always been drawn to the idea of self-improvement. However, like most self-help practices, it's rooted in not feeling enough and constantly striving to be better. On the other hand, God created us to create, work, and improve ourselves. it feels like 90-95% is good, but that 5% is rooted in evil. It changes very fast into visualisation, manifestation, etc. etc.

How do you guys navigate this? Especially for those who were part of the self-help community before coming to Christ. Do you have any tips or advice? I find it incredibly challenging to reconcile faith with worldly things. It almost feels impossible to me.

Kind Regards,

Jim

Welcome to CF.
We can not serve two masters. His Holy Spirit is now your Master. This is why there is a struggle because you have not, as yet, accepted Him fully into your life. That being said, do not think for a moment that He will abandon you. He will not however, if you continue on the same path His work in you will be "quenched". You must find another way to financially support yourself. Ultimately, it is Love that drives our decisions and our Father knows if we love Him. I will pray that His light shines a path towards complete peace. Blessings.

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hey there,

About a year ago, I became a believer in Christ after being heavily involved in New Age practices and self-development for 5-6 years. The transition was tough, as I experienced nightmares and some friends and family distanced themselves from me. It felt like my whole world was turned upside down. One of the first things I focused on was working on my ego, dying to self, and becoming a new creation in Christ. After a few months, I delved into Bible studies, immersed myself in the Word, and sought to understand its relevance to my life. I let go of self-help, meditation, hypnotherapy, and subliminals for power.

Gradually, I began rebuilding myself with Christ, incorporating practices like cold showers, fitness, red light therapy, and nootropics to improve myself. Unfortunately, I fell back into listening to subliminal tracks to make myself smarter and more driven. The nightmares returned, and I sensed a negative change within me. I realized that this was not good; I was trying to change myself through my own efforts. Subliminals, in particular, led me astray as their content can quickly become adulterated and unknown. I repented but still don't feel great about it. The challenge is that I'm a teacher and mental coach. I've always believed in the need to understand and help oneself in order to improve. However, my faith teaches me to rely entirely on Jesus and use the Bible as the path to growth.

I struggle with not reverting back to the self-help trend, which I genuinely enjoy. I've always been drawn to the idea of self-improvement. However, like most self-help practices, it's rooted in not feeling enough and constantly striving to be better. On the other hand, God created us to create, work, and improve ourselves. it feels like 90-95% is good, but that 5% is rooted in evil. It changes very fast into visualisation, manifestation, etc. etc.

How do you guys navigate this? Especially for those who were part of the self-help community before coming to Christ. Do you have any tips or advice? I find it incredibly challenging to reconcile faith with worldly things. It almost feels impossible to me.

Kind Regards,

Jim

On the one hand, I just remind myself that the Bible isn't comprehensive and doesn't cover every aspect of human experience or psychology that we all deal with. There's always room for "self-improvement" or "self-help." The questions, however, isn't only "what are we learning?," it's also "from whom are we learning what we're learning"?

Obviously, New Age materials are usually on the more watered-down side of engaging reality, objectivity, and practical improvement. So, ignore those and replace them with more scientific and scholarly forms/versions of self-help. Besides, these things aren't necessarily excluded by what we read in the Bible and we do ourselves a disservice by ignoring additional information and education that can be had outside of the Bible.

Whats more, it's not really that difficult to reconcile various aspects of the Christian faith with what you've called "worldly things." I'd counter that by saying that self-improvement isn't "worldly" if that's something we actually need as human beings. We shouldn't be seeing this tension as an absolute dichotomy. No, rather, it's a matter of discerning those things that are "real" from the mere predilections of our one's preferred "ideal." Do I need to eat better, more healthy food? Yes! Do I need to find ways to calm my anxieties in life so I can function and work? Yes! Do I need to learn to relate better with other people and form networks as well as strengthen my ties with my own family members (as much as possible)? Yes! ... and does the Bible tell us 'how' to do all of these things? No! So, it remains that we all need some additional, practical instructions for living life and even, at times, knowing how to survive in a socially hostile environment.

 

[tturt]

Jim1995 glad that you have made this decision. You"ve experienced a lot since becoming a believer. As you already know, dying to self is particularly challenging. You've probably read some of the ffollowing. In response to your inquiry, books have been written based on Scripture such as these:

-1 Corinthians 6:19 Says “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”
-"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom 12:1-2 Renew our minds by "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" II Cor 10:5. Definitely have to include Matt 22:36-39.

-Fasting Matt 6:16-18, Luk 18:12

We're to meditate (focus on God & His Word). "But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Psa 1 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." Psa 19:14
"I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word." Psa 119: "
- " My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." Prov 4:20-22 (Eph 5:28-33; I Cor 9:27, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8

-Also, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." (Pro 17:22).
In "God's Prescription Book," written by a Christian neurosurgeon, Dr Avery Jackson, there is a chapter on laughter. Among other benefits, a merry heart improves our immune system.

-Develop the fear of the Lord. 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." Pro 9:10, "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death." Pro 14:27, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Pro 1:7.

-Also, from CJB:
"Rejoice in union with the Lord always! I will say it again: rejoice! 5 Let everyone see how reasonable and gentle you are. The Lord is near! 6 Don’t worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. 7 Then God’s shalom, passing all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Yeshua. 8 In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy." (Phillipines 4:4-8)

Psa 16:11 "...in thy presence is fulness of joy..."

(Additionally, since you like doing research recommend doing a study of God's names, titles, and attributions. I only used online lists that included foundational Scripture & could check it out)

 

[com7fy8]

Read the Bible. And pray for your attention to be guided by God.

Real self help needs to be guided by God, not depending on your own strength and will power . . . but we need to do what is in sharing with God.

And good strengthening can come with sharing closely with other Christians . . . so we grow strong against arguing and ill temper and anger and unforgiveness, and grow in love relating instead.

So, you don't want to get into only self help by yourself, but in sharing with other Christians.

 

[Jim1995]

So, you don't want to get into only self help by yourself, but in sharing with other Christians.

Funny that you mentioned that. I like to do on online journal communities, but they are really focused on the self-help aspect. Was already looking if there was a Christian variant of Online Journalling.

 

[com7fy8]

Funny that you mentioned that. I like to do on online journal communities, but they are really focused on the self-help aspect. Was already looking if there was a Christian variant of Online Journalling.

Possibly, you can start a journaling blog here in Christian Forums.

But people here might not know how to find and share in blogs.

So, I suppose you can ask a moderator how you could start a journal in the forums section, and make it clear if you want discussion.

But I journal, maybe, by sharing things personal while answering other people's forums comments. I can be journaling and discussing, at the same time.