Hi there,
So I have been struggling with schizophrenia for almost 18 years and I have finally reached an understanding: that puts my schizophrenia in context. That understanding, is that we all have a choice, as our lives progress: to welcome more madness, or less. What does that mean? It means, that ultimately madness will yield its result, or it will be put in its box. It is possible to live with madness either way.
Jesus gives us this, because He does not trumpet our recovery to the world, but says "make the offering Moses required" and "tell your friends what God has done for you". So in Jesus, we are able to make a choice 'do I want more madness, or less - in the end?' A good life is three score years and ten (70 years - according to Proverbs), if we can just hold on for the good life to lapse and come to fruition, we will be able to guide our madness, to the end we desire.
Sometimes, more madness is needed, sometimes less - the point is that we continue to have a choice and Jesus will defend that choice. The Spirit of God, is able to reach through us, for the fruit we need to sustain - it does not mean God will ask nothing else of us, but it means that we will be conformed to the image of His Son: even more like His Son, than people who are normal and never have to struggle with madness. In this way madness, is a gift, that can be used for our greater development and in principle, if we trust Jesus, we will never go too far.
Normal people, go through cycles, of more sanity and less, but for someone like me, there is a tension there, that I bottle up with vigilance - I am slowly learning I do not need to be more and more vigilant, to deal with madness, but more and more committed. Committed to the good life, committed to Jesus and just accepting that: that I have an end that is in Him and I die to myself, to live in Him. I am grateful for the trial, I do not need to look back.
I hope this has been of some help to you.
So I have been struggling with schizophrenia for almost 18 years and I have finally reached an understanding: that puts my schizophrenia in context. That understanding, is that we all have a choice, as our lives progress: to welcome more madness, or less. What does that mean? It means, that ultimately madness will yield its result, or it will be put in its box. It is possible to live with madness either way.
Jesus gives us this, because He does not trumpet our recovery to the world, but says "make the offering Moses required" and "tell your friends what God has done for you". So in Jesus, we are able to make a choice 'do I want more madness, or less - in the end?' A good life is three score years and ten (70 years - according to Proverbs), if we can just hold on for the good life to lapse and come to fruition, we will be able to guide our madness, to the end we desire.
Sometimes, more madness is needed, sometimes less - the point is that we continue to have a choice and Jesus will defend that choice. The Spirit of God, is able to reach through us, for the fruit we need to sustain - it does not mean God will ask nothing else of us, but it means that we will be conformed to the image of His Son: even more like His Son, than people who are normal and never have to struggle with madness. In this way madness, is a gift, that can be used for our greater development and in principle, if we trust Jesus, we will never go too far.
Normal people, go through cycles, of more sanity and less, but for someone like me, there is a tension there, that I bottle up with vigilance - I am slowly learning I do not need to be more and more vigilant, to deal with madness, but more and more committed. Committed to the good life, committed to Jesus and just accepting that: that I have an end that is in Him and I die to myself, to live in Him. I am grateful for the trial, I do not need to look back.
I hope this has been of some help to you.
