In this post, I aim to delve deeper into the prescriptive elements of how we can confront and conquer the monsters that lurk in our lives, starting with a fundamental story from Genesis 3.
I have the privilege of speaking at the Crescent Project Staff Conference later this week in Nashville, TN, where I will delve into "How to Chase the Monsters Away: Finding Healing in Our Relationship with God." In a previous post, I provided a descriptive overview of this theme. In this post, I aim to delve deeper into the prescriptive elements of how we can confront and conquer the monsters that lurk in our lives, starting with a fundamental story from Genesis 3.
Initially, our world was a paradise of perfect harmony and beauty. However, as time passed, humanity's choices led to a decline in ourselves and the world due to Adam and Eve's sin. The pursuit of self-sufficiency drove a wedge between us and our Creator, plunging us into a dark and tumultuous existence. But God, in His boundless love and grace, did not forsake us. Instead, He entered the chaos not to condemn but to offer healing.
In the Garden after the Fall, God approached Adam and Eve and asked three questions. These questions weren't intended to acquire information. Instead, they were part of God's divine counsel, guiding us toward the truth, inviting us to acknowledge our fallen nature, and ultimately leading us to healing.
Before their disobedience, Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed, living in perfect communion with God, knowing and being known. However, shame, guilt and fear entered the picture when they defied God's command, compelling them to hide their true selves to control what was seen. Often, we do the same, believing that our true selves must remain hidden for us to be loved. True healing begins when we confess our brokenness and vulnerability, allowing God to see us as we are.
So, how does God heal us through these questions?
First, God reveals the root of our pain – the loss of radical vulnerability and the fear of being known. In our fallen state, we not only hide from God but also from one another and even from ourselves. We have forgotten that true love comes from being known and accepted by God through what Jesus did on the cross.
Second, God exposes our tendency to cover our nakedness through our own efforts. We construct fig-leaf garments of self-righteousness, hide behind excuses, and seek refuge from God's gaze and the scrutiny of others. Yet, these self-made cover-ups are futile; they cannot truly heal us.
Third, God offers the ultimate solution. He is the only one who can cover our inadequacies and sins. His grace and forgiveness become the garments that clothe us. Isaiah 61 promises that God will "bestow on [us] a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."
In Colossians 3:1-3, we are encouraged to set our minds on things above and to embrace the new self, created in the likeness of Christ. On judgment day, we must have Christ's covering, for only through Him can our sins be truly covered.
As I conclude, it is important to remember that our healing is found through a relationship with God. We discover it when we embrace the truth about ourselves, reject the lies that hold us captive, and accept God's covering of grace and redemption. As we embark on this journey of self-awareness and surrender, we find ultimate healing and restoration for our souls. God, our wonderful Counselor, guides us on this path, leading us from brokenness to wholeness, darkness to light, and shame to redemption.