not a blessing. WHAT? Yup. Pathway to miserable addiction. Getting-my-way THWARTED by Jesus, is an enormous blessing, because it opens the door to my being retrained in a much-better way of living — disillusioned in my flesh’s confidence-it-knows-what’ll-make-me-happy. But getting-my-way thwarted by Jesus is ONLY an enormous blessing when I’m convinced that getting-or-wanting-my-way is a curse.
I know, sounds crazy. All my life, and all my Christian life, I’ve gotten this backwards. I think we’ve all gotten it backwards. I know, sounds so radical, so unAmerican, unChristian.
Think about it. When I get-my-way, it feels good, and like any addiction, I want more of this. And more, and more. In time, I grow addicted to control, addicted to getting-my-way. My independence is strengthened/encouraged, my flesh’s confidence-it-knows-best is strengthened/encouraged. I’m wiser and wiser in my own eyes, lean even more on my own understanding. This is the Curse of INdependence passed down to the descendants of Adam and Eve. We INdependents are a miserable lot, and I’m convinced that most of us, Christian and nonChristian, live in denial of the extent of our misery.
And every time I want-my-way, I return to life under the Curse. Miserable existence. And every time I’m freshly convicted of my INdependence, and embrace Jesus’ genius plan, want HIS way, trust Him to lead the way, confess I dunno best, I’m moved out from under the Curse, momentarily. Ahhh, relief.
Impossible to be in a hurry, unless I’m wanting-my-way. Impossible to be frustrated unless I’m wanting-my-way. Impossible to be competitive, to wannabe superior, unless I’m wanting-my-way. Impossible to analyze, critique, judge, unless I’m wanting-my-way, confident-I-know-what’s-best.
Getting-my-way is not a bad thing, but it’s a mini-success, and like big success, it’s not a bad thing, but verrry dangerous to the health of my soul. Strengthens my INdependency, my addiction to my confidence-I-know-what’ll-make-me-happy. Miserable addiction.
So helpful lately, as I go through my day reminding myself over and over, “Getting-or-wanting-my-way is a curse.”
— Dave McCarty, GospelFriendships, championing Gospel-awareness, self-awareness, and sovereignty-awareness, so we Christians might have something the seculars around us want
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