GOOD NEWS, INDEED
In other words, trauma suffered in early life can and does cause stress, anxiety, disorganized and disoriented thinking and behavior, etc., later in life. So, many of us suffer low self-esteem anxieties, self condemnation, shame, guilt and self loathing.
Well, doctor psychologist, the Bible is about 2,000 years ahead of you on this one!
GOOD NEWS, INDEED
There is now, no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do: He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have, and in that Body, God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
PEACE & LIFE
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
As a Christian – a follower of Jesus – you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. (paraphrase of Romans 8:1-14)
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
How can this be possible? How can you attain to a healthy and optimistic outlook in life, full of purpose and hope?
Listen, friends and loved ones, there is a way. The simple answer is “through Jesus Christ”. But, there is surrender that must take place. Then there is the process of following Him and being changed, transformed into His likeness. It takes time, and you must cooperate, even pursue Him and this greatest gift, with all diligence. Then it will happen!
And, Strange as it may seem, there exists a Power that is able to transform your life so thoroughly, so radically, so completely, that when the process is completed your own friends would hardly recognize you, and, in fact, you would scarcely be able to recognize yourself.
You might even have to ask yourself, “Can I really be that man or that woman who went about under my name before?”
You are, in one sense the same person, but in another sense, you will have become someone utterly different.
This intensely real Power, can pick you up today – right now – from the midst of loneliness, failure, ruin, misery, despair or any difficulty, and begin to solve your problems, smooth out your difficulties, cut you free from entanglements and place you clear, safe and happy upon the highroad of freedom and opportunity.
It has the ability to lift you out of an invalid’s bed and make you sound and well.
It can free you to go and shape your life as it should be. “It can throw open the prison door and liberate the captive.
It has a healing balm for the bruised and broken heart.
This Power can teach you all things you need to know, if only you are receptive and teachable.
It can inspire you with new thoughts and ideas, so that your life’s work may be truly original, meaningful and lasting.
It can impart new and wonderful kinds of knowledge, as soon as you really want such knowledge – glorious knowledge – strange things not taught in schools or written in books.
It can find your true place in life, and put you into it, too.
It can find the right friends for you, kindred spirits who are interested in the same ideas and want the same things that you do.
This Power, as it is rightly called, is the Gospel of Jesus implanted in the heart and mind of a fully surrendered, completely devoted disciple of Jesus.
So, I say, TAKE THE LEAP! You have everything to gain!
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
https://whitestone2020.com/separated-from-god/