The privilege of being a life coach allows me not only to ponder my own life but to have the honor of walking alongside other searchers. Not that I've got my own life all figured out by any stretch. I'm thinking that won't happen this side of heaven. But the older I get and the more experience I have on these ponderous journeys, there are definitely certain truths I see played out again and again.
One of the these that has gained a new focus is the truth played out in 2 Corinthians 2:3. (After all, I've definitely found all the truth I need to know is in the Bible - and since so many followers have - I often wonder why people who aren't believers don't at least look there for the possibility of answers - but I digress.) Back to the Bible which tells us that, "Blessed be the God of all comfort...who comforts us in our sorrows...so that we can comfort others." Since it would make sense joy would come from following God's will - this verse makes it clear, that God's will is to use the places we have been comforted to comfort others
It seems to me that secular or even new-age spirituality finds it's followers because there is some inherent good to their truths - and that often truth is truth -even if it is only a portion of the truth (which is dangerous because following it will never give them the whole truth and keep them from finding it!) Stay with me if that sounded confusing. Here's an example: Believing that absolute truth is in the Bible and that comforting others is the reason God comforts us, look how the movie Eat, Pray, Love plays out that same scenario.
One of the these that has gained a new focus is the truth played out in 2 Corinthians 2:3. (After all, I've definitely found all the truth I need to know is in the Bible - and since so many followers have - I often wonder why people who aren't believers don't at least look there for the possibility of answers - but I digress.) Back to the Bible which tells us that, "Blessed be the God of all comfort...who comforts us in our sorrows...so that we can comfort others." Since it would make sense joy would come from following God's will - this verse makes it clear, that God's will is to use the places we have been comforted to comfort others
It seems to me that secular or even new-age spirituality finds it's followers because there is some inherent good to their truths - and that often truth is truth -even if it is only a portion of the truth (which is dangerous because following it will never give them the whole truth and keep them from finding it!) Stay with me if that sounded confusing. Here's an example: Believing that absolute truth is in the Bible and that comforting others is the reason God comforts us, look how the movie Eat, Pray, Love plays out that same scenario.
In the beginning of the movie, Liz leaves her husband to find herself. (I'm hoping the book tells more reason to leave what looked like a wonderful life with a wonderful man.) Although her best friend gives her advice that she's not going to find peace running off to Italy any more than she found it being totally immersed in remodeling her kitchen, she after another relationship where she finds love but not fulfillment, she runs off to Italy indulging in the Food part of the movie. (Another Biblical truth partially found occasionally in the secular world that carnality might be pleasurable but doesn't fill the void within us. Notice the world, including this movie doesn't answer what will!)
But in India, while trying to learn to meditate, she meets a man whose own realization that he squandered the most important points of his life, helps her along her search. She brings those learnings including knowing she has to forgive herself for past failures to her last stop, Bali, where we see her find some joy in serving others. She asks for donations for a poor healer and her daughter and her friends from around the world donate enough for this woman to build her own house.
The end of the movie would lead us to believe she has faced her fears as she finds love yet again to add to this joy. However, I would love to write the sequel because those of us that have found truth in the Bible know, this movie evidences a woman finding only partial truth. Yes, helping others and loving others, forgiving yourself are truths that play out positively in secular life - but those of us that know the rest of the truth, "Apart from God we can do nothing", know that if Liz does not learn to rely on God, her truths may not last. And that God doesn't promise happily-ever-after endings on earth, only in heaven.
draft 6:50:00 PM by Sherrill Schlimpert Delete
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