Choosing a Path to Healing and Restoration
How perspective and self-awareness lead to clarity and purpose
With the world pressing in on all sides I find myself jumping from thought to thought and feeling to feeling. Whether its concern for my family, my bank account, or the state of my world there’s always something to cast shadows over my spirit. Worry, fear, and grief easily eclipse the fragile beauty of a sunny winter day or an uplifting conversation.
Choosing self awareness
Living out faith to the full requires me to recognize the beliefs, the assumptions, and the emotional impact that intermingle with the external events of my life. The business of daily life makes it easy to lose sight of thoughts and feelings that run below the surface of my mind. There’s a certain kind of comfort in planning tasks, checking email, finding something to eat, straightening clutter and talking to people. This routine has the power to numb my awareness and dull my aspirations.
In contrast, living intentionally and charting a purposeful course calls me to self-awareness and clear priorities. Hidden inside myself, just below the conscious level lives a kind of committee made of sub parts of my total self. These sub parts are actively competing for my time and attention.
Choosing an intentional path
When these “committee members” work just below the surface I may feel acted upon from the outside without awareness that I am fighting an internal battle. For example, I may be making a logical argument, while an inner voice tries to awaken me to a relationship need. Or I may be anxious to finish a mundane task as my adventurous side interrupts the work with subliminal whispers of tempting distractions. Most of the time I sense these interruptions without recognizing them and wonder why I feel stressed or unproductive.
My true self has a big job. She needs to decide which of the sub parts get the microphone, which should wait their turn, and which are wounded and in need of care. Done well, this balancing act leads to a secure self who is able to listen and respond from internal conviction and not reactive pressure. This differentiated self recognizes that beliefs, assumptions, and emotions are impacted by the external events of life. But the true self stands apart from the events, choosing to chart an intentional path aligned with her own priorities.
Living faith to the full invites me to define this differentiated self not in response to the actions of others but to a deep awareness of what Dallas Willard* calls “the kingdom of the heavens,” an ever-present mindfulness of ultimate truth, goodness and beauty.
Choosing to heal and restore
I stumbled across this idea while reading in the gospel of Luke today. The passage describes Jesus talking to a group that included religious teachers and scholars. From what I know of New Testament culture, these leaders came to hear Jesus for a variety of reasons. Skepticism, pride, greed and opportunism most likely tainted many of their motives as they listened along with those eager to hear and learn.
If I were to find myself speaking to a crowd like this the inner voices of my various sub parts would raise a cacophony of alarms. “Be careful how you say that;” “Explain yourself better;” “Don’t threaten them;” “Make sure they know that you know what you are talking about.” Did Jesus hear these kinds of voices? I imagine that he did.
The passage says that “the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.” (Luke 5:17). And the remainder of the passage indicates that that is just what he did.
Reflecting on this scene, I conclude that Jesus’ critics saw the moment as one to analyze, critique, or leverage for their own benefit. But their perceptions didn’t determine Jesus’ response. He was alert to the power of healing presence. He had no need to impress, argue or manipulate.
The power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.
As I find myself overwhelmed by the difficulties
of the day, I want to listen to the thoughts and feelings inside myself, to recognize the pressures and expectations of those around me, but most of all to differentiate my response to all of this by choosing a divine purpose. Faith, fully lived, relies on the power that can lead to healing and restoration in my world. God grant me the courage to choose like Jesus.
Your are such an encourager. Thank you
As always, I am impressed by your thoughts. Thanks!