Improved vs. Transformed

Becoming transformed, not just better versions of ourselves.

C.S. Lewis wrote in his book Mere Christianity, in the chapter titled “Nice People or New Men?”:

“A world of nice people, looking no further than that, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as the miserable world and more difficult to save, for mere improvement is not redemption, though in the end redemption will improve you to a degree that you can’t even imagine. God became man to turn creatures into sons, not simply to produce better kinds of the old creature, but to produce a new kind of person. It is not like teaching a horse to jump better and better, but more like turning a horse into a winged creature which is a whole new kind of being altogether.“

Lewis is saying that what our Father has done for us in Christ is not intended to simply make us nicer, more moral, and better versions of the old us. He’s making us into someone new, someone free from our past and what others think, free from needing any approval from others…, someone who is redeemed, loved and adopted into his family… having a solid & secure identity, not just reformed.

He transforms our identity. He tells us who we are and we respond.

That’s good news. That’s liberating.

* Recount * Recall * Resolve

Emotional Health
Practical Application Thoughts From Pastor Chip Ingram

Psalm 73

*Recount your gain, your benefits (have gratitude for all that you DO have)
*Recall God’s Character (he is compassionate, merciful, gracious, loving)
*Resolve to Thank Him

Conclusions:

*Ups and Downs are Normal – don’t read too much into it, sometimes it’s physical, spiritual, emotional
*Emotional health means we must move beyond the silencing of our symptoms through drugs, blaming, busyness, ministry, alcohol, manipulating others, gaining attention. Time Out! Get to the root cause of what’s going on with our hearts- let’s not just cope and silence the pain. The pain is still there.
*Emotional healing is a gift from god
*Getting stuck is also normal and god uses people in conjunction with prayer to mend our emotional wounds
*Extreme wounds sometimes demand extended and specialized care – be careful not to generalize and judge another person’s life, needs, depth of their wound, etc.

***Prayer is god’s prescription for emotional wellbeing, and everything else flows out of it.***

Christianity & Emotional Health

Christian theologians suffered with depression. You are not alone.

I found this online a few days ago but can’t locate the source at this time. I will find it soon though:

“Some names that come to mind are Augustine, Martin Luther, John Bunyan, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, Søren Kierkegaard, Adolf Schlatter, Rudolf Otto (who may even have attempted suicide), and Paul Tillich. Interestingly, in some cases, the experience of depression seems to have played a formative role in the person’s theological development—just think of Luther or Kierkegaard!

Many of the great theologians were undeniably gifted individuals with impressive intellectual ability. The relationship between IQ and emotional intensity has been demonstrated in the research on gifted individuals.
Experiencing these heights and depths at such intensity would surely contribute to greater questioning, deeper thought, and more powerful expression.

The struggle with depression is a fire that reveals the deepest epiphanies in the refining of faith.”
–
Also, Chip Ingram just finished a Series on “Does God Still Heal?” – I am currently listening to the first one:
10/06/2009 – Does God Still Heal? – Emotional Healing: How to Move Beyond Treating the Symptoms, Part 1

Chip starts by giving some astounding research about mental illness in America today.

Listen to Chip’s take on God’s prescription for healing your emotions. (Keep in mind his focus and the way he speaks is all about application – and practical ways to move towards behavioral change.)

I know many times we need more – we need empathy, we need a healing relationship, but we also want true transformation from the inside out. We want inner change that PRODUCES outer fruit. We long for real, lasting changes in our heart but also in our thoughts/behaviors.

Both are necessary and important. And if BOTH the healing relationship and the action plan for change are in process, in effect, and moving forward, you ARE moving towards mental/ emotional health and growth. It does require our ownership, but trusting God is the source.