Next Saturday I will be participating at a one-day retreat at Angola. It will consist of eight talks on the Beatitudes. Perhaps you need a retreat to start your summer. Join me for the next eight days as I summarize the talks and take the retreat journey with me.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs of the kingdom of heaven.” Matt.5:3. You are not God. It’s a hard truth that some never grasp.
We act out our God complex by trying to control. Trying to be God is humankind’s oldest problem. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve tried to be in control. They only had to stay away from the forbidden fruit, one tree! There were in Paradise! Satan said to them “…If you eat this fruit, you will be like God.” And, they wanted to be God! Today, we still want to be God We attempt to play God by denying our humanity, and trying to control everything for our own selfish reasons!
a. We Try To Control Our Image. We care so much about what other people think of us. We wear masks and play games. No worry, no fear. We don’t want others to see the real us. “If I tell you who I really am and you don’t like me, I’m in trouble-because then I’m all I’ve got.”
b. We Try To Control Other People. Children, Parents, Husbands, Wives, Coworkers, Anyone and Everyone. Along the way we develop the tools of Manipulation: Guilt and Shame; Praise and Affirmation. Anger, fear or silent scorn. All to gain control.
c. We Try To Control Our Problems. “I can handle it!” “It’s not really a problem!” “I’m okay, really. I’m fine.” Words of someone trying to play God! “I don’t need any help!” “I can quit at anytime. I will use my will power!” How is that working for you?
d. We Try To Control Our Pain. How much time and effort do you spend running from pain? Avoiding it, denying it, escaping from it, reduce it or postponing it? Some try to eat our pain, some drink or drug it away. Some shop it away. Some isolate and build walls, steep and mighty, to keep others and the pain away. Some commit suicide. We will try almost anything to keep the pain away. When we realize that we are not in control, the real pain comes. This is scary, but paradoxically it is what gets you to the point of admitting your need and acknowledging you are not God!
Blessed are the poor in spirit is all about Admitting Your Need!
THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR PROBLEMS: The cause of most of our problems is our effort to control everything, and these lead to the following consequences of playing God:
- FEAR: Adam said, “I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” We have
a lot of fear (toxic fear) around being found out, who we really are. Full of
it, a disingenuous person [a fake, a phony], that we don’t really have it all
together. We are not perfect. This sets up for rejection. There won’t love
me, like me, unless my image is perfect. - FRUSTRATION: We think we are so self-sufficient and can do anything. Trying to be the CEO of the Universe is very frustrating. We keep getting one problem in control and four more pop up. We get those in control and ten more pop up. We are dishonest with ourselves and who we are not. Frustration is a symptom of a deeper issue. A failure to acknowledge that we are not God.
- FATIGUE: Playing God makes us tired. It is hard work pretending to be God. We run, run, run from our pain by keeping busy. We become a workaholic, compulsive in everything we take on. Even over involvement in religious activities. If you are constantly tired, ask yourself “What pain am I running from? What problem am I afraid to face? What motivates and drives me to work and work so that I’m in a constant state of fatigue?”
- FAILURE: Playing God is on job where failure is guaranteed. We are not big enough. Proverbs 28:13 says “You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give up; then God will show mercy to you.” We need to be honest and open about our weaknesses, faults, and failures.
THE CURE FOR OUR PROBLEMS: Comes through admitting weakness through a humble heart.
ADMITTING WEAKNESS: 2 Corinthians 12:10 gives us Paul’s view of this. “That is why, for Messiah’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” This is counter cultural to us self-sufficient Americans. Be the strong, silent type. Be John Wayne or the Lone Ranger – don’t depend on anybody else. Raise yourself up by your own bootstraps. We must admit we are powerless to do it alone – that you are spiritually poor that you need other people, and you need God. Making the first choice to healing means acknowledging we are not God, and admitting three important facts of life:
- “I admit that I am powerless to change my past.” Forgiveness, and letting go of resentments.
- “I admit that I am powerless to control other people.” I am
responsible for my actions, not theirs. I can’t control other
people. - “I admit that I am powerless to cope with harmful habits,
behaviors, and actions”. Good intentions don’t cut it. Willpower
is not enough. I need God, because He made me to need Him.
A HUMBLE HEART: James 4:6 says in part, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Our false pride continues to insist that we go it alone. Some of us are still thinking, “I can do this on my own. I can solve my own problems.” No you can’t. If you could, you would have already done so. But since your can’t, you won’t. You need God.
What is humility? Being true to yourself. Knowing yourself inside and out. The good, the bad and the ugly. Getting out of denial, and honesty naming your hurt, hang-up or habit you have been ignoring. Then, you admit to God that you are powerless to manage your life on your own.
I’ve given you much to consider. Talk about it with someone close. Come back tomorrow. It gets better. I promise.
Great retreat…