Post by sarah on Feb 5, 2007 21:25:54 GMT -8
11/05:
Ok so I got hammered on the "be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil." Oh how far away I am from where I want to be on that one. What is it about evil the draws our attention, even when we are not necessarily inclined to participate in it. Or even as I typed that I wondered, is giving it attention, participating in it?
It makes me think about the Lord of the Rings (sorry M) in the book Sauruman (sp?) was fascinated by evil and devoted his life to the study of it with the hope of knowing evil's secrets so that he could overthrow it. He started with good intent but by focusing on it he became a pawn in it.
Being on the Charismatic end of things I have heard a lot of people talk a lot about spiritual warfare and the various tactics the enemy uses against us. I think there is some value in it, but I think that you can also get too focused on what the enemy is doing. In a way you start to worship the enemy or sin in your life. We give praise to the Lord by talking about his character and work in our lives, if we are spending too much time focused on the enemy's activities then things get subverted.
One of the biggest challenges I have faced in my life is reclaiming my innocence. Having willingly given territory in my life to that which was evil, I had become hardened to it. I remember spending a lot of time in prayer over it, asking the Lord to restore my innocence. I would get these sort of "flashbacks" to darker times. It really bothered me. I don't know when it happened but it did start to change. I have always had a slightly borderline humor. I remember being out with a guy I was dating at the time, and we were with his coworkers. One of them made a very off color joke, and I blushed. She noticed and teased me because of it. Calling me an "innocent". She couldn't have said something kinder to me if she tried!
Now I think it is about protecting the innocence restored to me. Valuing it. Sort of a Philippians 4:8 sort of thing. Growing in wisdom about all that is good and beautiful and not being embarrassed of innocence thinking it to be naivety.
Ok so I got hammered on the "be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil." Oh how far away I am from where I want to be on that one. What is it about evil the draws our attention, even when we are not necessarily inclined to participate in it. Or even as I typed that I wondered, is giving it attention, participating in it?
It makes me think about the Lord of the Rings (sorry M) in the book Sauruman (sp?) was fascinated by evil and devoted his life to the study of it with the hope of knowing evil's secrets so that he could overthrow it. He started with good intent but by focusing on it he became a pawn in it.
Being on the Charismatic end of things I have heard a lot of people talk a lot about spiritual warfare and the various tactics the enemy uses against us. I think there is some value in it, but I think that you can also get too focused on what the enemy is doing. In a way you start to worship the enemy or sin in your life. We give praise to the Lord by talking about his character and work in our lives, if we are spending too much time focused on the enemy's activities then things get subverted.
One of the biggest challenges I have faced in my life is reclaiming my innocence. Having willingly given territory in my life to that which was evil, I had become hardened to it. I remember spending a lot of time in prayer over it, asking the Lord to restore my innocence. I would get these sort of "flashbacks" to darker times. It really bothered me. I don't know when it happened but it did start to change. I have always had a slightly borderline humor. I remember being out with a guy I was dating at the time, and we were with his coworkers. One of them made a very off color joke, and I blushed. She noticed and teased me because of it. Calling me an "innocent". She couldn't have said something kinder to me if she tried!
Now I think it is about protecting the innocence restored to me. Valuing it. Sort of a Philippians 4:8 sort of thing. Growing in wisdom about all that is good and beautiful and not being embarrassed of innocence thinking it to be naivety.