06.15.19 - week 8
dignity is often the enemy of holiness.
we have perhaps never had more opportunity to do the very worst thing to our souls.
cultivate an outward image that doesn’t line up with inner reality.
whether from the anointing of david, to jesus damming of the pharisees, the bible is clear:
god’s primary interest is in what can’t be seen. we spend energy selling our ideal selves to the world, when our real selves are what matter. this is a core human problem, shown over + over since adam sewed the leaves to hide shameful nakedness. our desire to seem right gets in the way of our being right.
the solution isn’t the weird over-sharing some practice on social media. telling people you have never met your deepest and darkest tends to create a new layer of hiding even deeper than before. the solution is to be right where you are and with who you are with. whatever layers are on top of it, most likely the thing driving your hiding is a desire for safety + acceptance. the way to get that is to be honest about reality to safe people close to you.
Cup of Leadership
it almost knocked me off my chair.
as it came out of the counselor’s mouth and into my ears i immediately started forming my retorts. ‘‘why’ is usually a victim question
his point was that the energy expended trying to precisely source what hurt you or compellingly understand the motives of those who rejected you is wasted. it doesn’t help you heal and doesn’t move you closer to whatever the next season is. ‘why’ is usually a complex and nuanced question to answer anyway, so you are unlikely to find something helpful in the search. so perhaps you will be more satisfied by asking ‘what’s next’ and leaving ‘why X’ to the sovereignty of god.
eugene peterson’s paraphrase of psalm 73.15-16 says it perfectly:
still, when I tried to figure it out, all I got was a splitting headache . . . until I entered the sanctuary of god then I saw the whole picture.
Book Review
simply the best i’ve ever read on the gifts of the holy spirit + the life of the believer + the local church. careful/biblical/gracious/courageous to the max. this book doesn’t play to the poles of fear or condescension so easy to find in various camps discussing the spirit. we are compellingly called to reach for the fullness of everything god wants to do in our lives. i was blessed and inspired, I bet you will be too. thx sam storms and matt chandler for attaching your name to it.
3 Things I Really Liked This Week
1. i’m a sucker for mob stories. a friend of mine gave me this for beach reading this summer, and woah, a crazy page turner.
2. i went to the masters golf tournament a couple months ago, this look at the place made me smile
3. this video is simply a stunning performance, probably my favorite of the last few years.