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Devotional Thought of the Day:

14 They have treated My people’s brokenness superficially, claiming, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace.  Jeremiah 6:14  HCSB

993    You reason well … coldly: how many motives for abandoning the task! And some of them are apparently conclusive. I see without any doubt that you have reasons—but you are not right.

For decades the Catholic church has ignored a crisis in their midsts, and now many are trying to avoid the blame that their denial of the issues has caused.  They are not the only ones, there are a few protestant mega-churches now learning the high cost of denial of the problems of sin and immorality

You see the high cost of denial as well, as churches that were once 10 or 15 times their present attendance are floundering, struggling not ot close. But for the decades in decline, denial was the passive strategy, or implementing programs that promised great success, but didn’t account for denial’s apathetic response.

I’ve seen it in personal relationships as well, from abusive relationships to neglect, from drug and alcohol addiction to work problems.  We deny our problems, we present that all is at peace, and the pain and trauma results in our heart and soul being destroyed. 

We have all the reasons to engage in denial, we can rationalize it out with the best of them.  We can claim we are powerless, we can claim we can’t do better, we can find theologians and pastors who will enable our denial.

But the denial is like covering up an infection without neutralizing it. It will rot, and build up pressure underneath the surface.  It will eventually have to be dealt with, but by the time it is, the results are even more damaging, the healing takes longer, significantly longer.

So how do we overcome the temptation to enter into denial? 

First, we have to recognize it. We have to realize we are running away and turning our back on the problem. 

Second, we have ot trust in God’s ability to sustain us, to make things work out for our best, even in the midst of the pain of dealing with the situation.  That trust grows as we pray, as we spend time in deep conversation, seeking God’s care, getting to be familiar with Him, and knowing His will.

What happens then is what Luther often mentioned, when he explains prayer, noting that God would see His will worked out whether we pray or not, but that we pray that we know it comes in our lives.

We pray so we remember He is here, so we are assured of His love, and His active care. Knowing His presence, the anxiety of dealing with the problem fades. W can take on the issue head on, we can deal with the problem.  We can even handle it with great tenderness, patience, and love.

And life finds healing, and revival, and hope. 

Lord Jesus, help us not hide our problems and the major issues in our lives, but run with them to you.   AMEN!

Escriva, Josemaria. The Way (Kindle Locations 2307-2309). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.