A lot of times since I was first reborn, I have heard so many answers to my spiritual struggles that were... I don't know, flaky, fluffy, vague, ...ethereal.
What I mean is it seems like sometimes we forget what it was like to be sinners or to struggle with sin or depression or anything. Either that or we just don't really have a clue ourselves what scripture offers as answers to our practical problems.
I asked an old, respected elder in church years ago, 'How do I overcome entangling sin?' Now, I was reaching out desperately as a testosterone plagued young male, surrounded by beautiful sisters who were (though I had no idea at the time) struggling just like me; but all he had to answer was, with a very... spiritual air in his expression (for lack of a better description), 'Abiiiide in Jesus, brother, abiiiide in Jesus.'
I got so angry, though out of respect and disgust I remained silent, I wanted to exclaim, 'That's it?! That's your great, spiritual answer after decades of Christan life and leadership and generations of children brought up in church?! That is how you maintain a spiritual life?!!!'
So for the longest time I fought to tread spiritual water and keep my head up as one person after another offered me these vague answers. There was not one ounce of specific counsel or direction.
The bible speaks in such celestial terms - the parables of Jesus, some of his sayings like, 'He who does not eat my flesh or drink my blood has no part in me.' That's great for someone who has 'arrived', I suppose, but for someone who is really seeking direction for their lives, it doesn't provide much of a practical list to approach, let alone what it means.
My heart breaks for people who show up here reaching out like this, who obviously have heard enough of those kind of answers at church.
If we have practical answers - step by step, with substance, not just some philosophical sounding scriptures, then we should give specific, practical counsel.
What I mean is it seems like sometimes we forget what it was like to be sinners or to struggle with sin or depression or anything. Either that or we just don't really have a clue ourselves what scripture offers as answers to our practical problems.
I asked an old, respected elder in church years ago, 'How do I overcome entangling sin?' Now, I was reaching out desperately as a testosterone plagued young male, surrounded by beautiful sisters who were (though I had no idea at the time) struggling just like me; but all he had to answer was, with a very... spiritual air in his expression (for lack of a better description), 'Abiiiide in Jesus, brother, abiiiide in Jesus.'
I got so angry, though out of respect and disgust I remained silent, I wanted to exclaim, 'That's it?! That's your great, spiritual answer after decades of Christan life and leadership and generations of children brought up in church?! That is how you maintain a spiritual life?!!!'
So for the longest time I fought to tread spiritual water and keep my head up as one person after another offered me these vague answers. There was not one ounce of specific counsel or direction.
The bible speaks in such celestial terms - the parables of Jesus, some of his sayings like, 'He who does not eat my flesh or drink my blood has no part in me.' That's great for someone who has 'arrived', I suppose, but for someone who is really seeking direction for their lives, it doesn't provide much of a practical list to approach, let alone what it means.
My heart breaks for people who show up here reaching out like this, who obviously have heard enough of those kind of answers at church.
If we have practical answers - step by step, with substance, not just some philosophical sounding scriptures, then we should give specific, practical counsel.