Over the past few days I have spoken with several people whose lives were deeply touched and liberated through the materials we called, Rational Christian Thinking. It is all about building a great relationship with God, self and other people by applying Christian truth to my thoughts.
It is hard to love God if my ruminations about the Father are all messed up and distorted. Yet this is exactly what so many dedicated Believers face on a daily basis. If I have a deep commitment to God but also harbor Stinking Thinking about His character, it can drive me into depression and anxiety.
I have ministered to many Bible believing Christians who suffered from high anxiety and emotional distress because they were convinced that God was sitting in heaven watching their every move to see when a sin was committed just so He could punish them. This sets up a horrible Double Bind making it impossible to live in joy.
What do you think will be the result if I try to love God and know I need to draw close to Him yet I also believe He takes great pleasure in causing me pain? How will that habit cause me to feel in the long run?
I am reminded of the fictional father who placed his little child up on a high cabinet and said, "Jump and I will catch you." The child did and his dad let him fall and hurt his legs. Then the father said, "See what happens when you trust someone."
Many Christians have been trained to think that the Heavenly Father is like that man. He is constantly setting us up to fail just so He can then punish us for failing or sinning.
When I was teaching the residents in our in-patient units I often heard them say that this was what they expected from God. I replied, "If I had that kind of God I would also be depressed. But I have joy because my Father is a loving Daddy who cares for me and gives me a life of abundance."
What kind of Father do you worship? Go to our web and read the materials for downloading. www.sweetenlife.com
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