A young friend I have mentioned before continues to struggle with her eating disorder. Some of her body systems are being affected and her family grows increasingly frightened for her. When she was confronted with these lab results recently her tearful response was, "I don't want this in my life. I didn't choose this!"
How many times didn't we think this or cry out to ourselves, "I don't want this in my life!" It is a stark reminder of the compulsive quality of all of our addictions. None of us at age 7 or 10 said, "When I grow up I want to be addicted."
Then Sunday in church came three new lost souls looking for help. (We are all lost souls looking for help!) One seemed to need money. One was intoxicated or high and when invited into the service was engaged and praised God. He only stayed for a while. And the third acknowledged she had been discharged from a mental hospital 3 days before.
I was reminded that none of these people "wanted this in their lives." The congregation welcomed these souls, asked what they needed and tried to meet those needs. Christ would have welcomed them.
I have continued to think about and pray for all these people...about the compulsive component of their illnesses, the emotional distress, the desperation, the spiritual void they each feel.
"There is a God-shaped void in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing--only by God the creator made known through Jesus Christ.
"The glory of God is man fully alive."
Dear God, give each of us moments of your grace to know You fill that void---nothing or no one else.
Help us feel fully alive.
Blessings-Penny
No comments:
Post a Comment