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When the advice exacerbates the problem …
Let’s pretend there is a 35-year old woman who struggles with a pervasive sense of being “not good enough.” We’ll call her Sara. And let’s further pretend that “Sara” tries really really hard to relate well with people, honor the Lord, etc. etc. but often she fails. Miserably. She says the wrong thing. Does the wrong thing. And her overarching sense of being “bad” often clouds her thinking and feeling and leads her to do the extremely annoying thing of putting herself down. Yes, yes. “Sara” knows this is wrong. There is nothing lovely or edifying about someone putting herself down all the time. It’s unpleasant. Stupid. Unbiblical. Ridiculous. Not…
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How Conflict is like Katrina
As I read the blogs, news sites, and print media, and as I listen to talk radio and watch the news (hmmm …. maybe I’m spending a little too much time on this topic?), I am struck by just how much the horrible disaster of Katrina is like our interpersonal conflicts. Isn’t it true that in our marriages, churches, workplaces, so often we know that something is wrong (trust has been broken, we are offended or feel betrayed, our love is growing cold), but for the time being, we can carry on our daily lives just like normal and so we do. (Like knowing that a retaining wall could be…
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re: Katrina — What pleasures will I give up?
I’ve been sickened, saddened, shocked, and discouraged by the horrible suffering as well as the wickedness of Man brought out in the devastating events of last week re: Katrina. Of course, I’ve also been rightly humbled, lavishly encouraged, and truly edified by God’s ministration of grace through His Word, His Spirit, and His people. Have you, too, been riveted to your tv? (And we only get three channels in Billings, so that’s saying something strange for us!) Fred and I pray, talk, and wonder … how are we to respond? What is God calling us to do? Give money? Absolutely. Pray? Yes, yes, yes. What about taking in a family?…
