How hardening of the heart happens

Mar19

“Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other.  Act on what you hear!  Those who hear and don’t act like it are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, or what they look like.  But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God – the free life!- even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action.  That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.”    James 1:22-25 (The Message)

When I refuse to let go of my sin (struggles, issues etc.) I am in fact,  hardening my heart  against God and His will for me. That is why I do not see changes in the area of my struggles, issues, sinfulness.  That is why I keep defaulting to my coping mechanism— THAT DOESN’T WORK. Instead, it leads me to feel regret, hopelessness and guilt.

How quickly I forget ( or choose not to remember ) that I am well equipped and able to stand strong when I am weak.

I can be a person of action.  I already have the tools in my toolbox. 

  • Prayer  (Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
  • Praise ( I will bless the Lord at all times…. Psalm 34:1)
  • Power of the Word (For the Word of God is alive and powerful Hebrews 4:12)
  • People who love me and want me to grow up in the Lord (For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.Matthew 18:20)
  • Music (Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord. Ephesians 5:19)
  • Productivity ( The diligent find freedom in their work….Proverbs 12:24)

I have been given the whole Armour of God.  Through the Holy Spirit I receive counsel and direction.  Though humility I can experience drawing nearer to God and He to me.

With God all things are possible!

I can do all things through Christ.  

**Proverbs 3:1, 2 Corinthians 12:10 Hebrews 3:15;  Romans 7:19, Ephesians 6: 10 -18, John 14:25-27, James 4: 7, 10,

Mark 10:27, , Philippians 4:13

A present view of denial

Nov2
  • What does denial look like up close
    • Avoidance of the resources that keep the issues forefront in mind instead of swept under the cobwebs of excuses, apathy and complacency .  Example: Instead of reading my daily reading from my Celebrate Recovery Study Bible App.  I have been avoiding it.
    • Selective forgetfulness. Forgetting that in fact, I have a problem with food and pretending that I can really eat that doughnut, or candy bar or ice cream…when in fact, I know that those are trigger foods and will lead me down the wrong track.
    • Regret and/ or shame and Isolation.  Both lead to guilt and feeling defeated which leads to giving up and believing the lie that I can’t do this (which is true, I can’t do this on my own) and I don’t deserve to be healthy (which isn’t true, but it’s not about deserving it as it is about choosing it.)
  • So, the difference about this time vs. every other time….
    • Recognizing the denial creeping in.
    • Acknowledge it.
    • Return to the truth.
    • Do the things I’ve been avoiding.
    • Choose better
    • Ask for help because doing “change” on your own is really hard, if not impossible, to do.  Asking first my Higher Power ( Jesus Christ) to help me. And my CR family to pray for me.