Reality
by Cecil Peasley
. . . unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Eph. 4:13
The counseling industry has undergone explosive growth in the last fifty years. Myriads of counselors, clinics, therapy groups, programs and exercises are found in print, on the radio, on television and every other form of media. Multitudes seem to be searching for themselves. Why are we in our affluent age so unsure of who we really are and what makes us tic? Could it be that we detect a phony, a fraud, a put-on so quickly? We tend to resist them and to seek to find ways not to be like them.
Is not the real answer to this question the fact the human beings are deeply flawed and very imperfect? We do not want to be overtaken by our own imperfections and our own flaws. Yet we are not sure that we in our own ways do not exhibit these imperfect characteristics. Our deep longing to be real in light of this knowledge disturbs us. We are a fallen race, deeply flawed and by sin separated from our original moorings. Fellowship with God which was our original state, when broken gives us a great sense of insecurity. God in His creation of our first parents Adam and Eve planted eternity in our hearts. We were not meant for time alone but for eternity. Therefore to be genuinely real we must find eternal life again. That is why we must believe in Jesus Christ and gain everlasting life or we will never be genuinely real.
What in essence are we when we are an unreal person? We live in denial. We choose to deny the truth about ourselves. We refuse to deal with our own sinfulness but seek to hide it. By our actions we often deny that we are in need of God. We often maintain that we are self sufficient. We refuse to depend on a genuine reconciliation with our creator. We live in pride – a sin which God hates. This leads to double-mindedness. Deep in our consciousness we know right well that we are very imperfect. By double-mindedness we portray an outward respectability while we carrying inner pride, resentments, bitterness and hardness of heart. And we seemingly cannot express genuine unconditional love in our relationships. We live with much criticism and blame of other. All of these traits and actions are based on a false identity. For reality, the truth of the matter must be embraced. Every believer must also continually face this fact. Otherwise we are unable live a true, godly life as a real person. And whenever negative traits resurface we become candidates for a revival.
God has made every provision for believers to be real people. Denial is not God’s way. A double-minded person is unstable in all his ways (Jas. 1:8). But there is a way to cure double-mindedness. It is found in James 4:8, “Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.” God is in the restoration business. That is the meaning of redemption. Christ’s blood keeps cleansing us from all sins. But it never happens without our permission and consent because God has irrevocably granted us a free will. Moreover Christ sent us the Holy Spirit to indwell us and to mortify the motives which lead us to an ungodly life (Rom. 8:13). There is therefore no reason why we God’s children cannot throughout our life-time be real people. Determine by God’s grace to live a life of genuine reality.
Have you thanked God today for His provision for you to be a real person? Why not do it?
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