Self-Talking to Success

            Many joke about talking to ourselves. Some say it's okay to talk to yourself as long as you don't get caught talking back. May I suggest that you may need to have a conversation with yourself in order to get to the truth of a matter.  You will understand what I mean as you engage this blog post conversation.

            Thoughts produce actions, actions produce habits, and habits produce lifestyle.  Your life is guided by your core-belief system. Your beliefs determine your behavior. In any one moment of time, your mind can only contain one thought. Your brain cannot produce positive and negative thoughts simultaneously.  Either positive or  negative results are produced. Positive thoughts produce more positive thoughts and positive actions. Negative thoughts produce more negative thoughts and negative actions. Only YOU can allow or disallow the pattern to flow in a virtuous and uplifting direction.

            What you believe about yourself is the most important factor of all in determining your responses to life. What you believe about yourself will create either constructive or destructive results. What you really believe about yourself may surprise you.  According to the author mentioned below, about ninety-nine percent of what you believe about yourself is hidden to yourself. You have to be willing to talk to yourself to find out what you believe about yourself.

            I recently discovered an allegory portraying the battle every human being must engage to overcome inevitable obstacles to reach an oasis of success. 

The jacket of the book,  The Ant and the Elephant: Leadership for the Self  by Vince Poscente reads as follows:

            "In the Ant and the Elephant, renown business strategist and Olympian, Vince Poscente, weaves a clever parable around profound concepts that can have an immediate impact on your life and the life of your organization.

            With his trademark wit and wisdom, Poscente shows us how to focus on and redirect the subconscious mind in order to accomplish the goals we consciously strive to achieve. This empowering story illustrates that understanding the dynamic relationship between conscious and subconscious thought is the first step towards becoming a leader who can transform individual performance. But harnessing the power of the subconscious is an experience commonly fraught with frustration. Even the most competent among us battles the subconscious fears, habits, and attitudes that obstruct authentic leadership. In fact, adjusting our own patterns of behavior as a means to motivate others is not unlike an ant trying to convince an elephant to change its ways. ....

            This simple story is a powerful metaphor designed to bring out your best performance as a leader, so that you can do the same for those around you."

            Because human nature resists change (even good change), our psyche becomes a battleground of familiar vs. unfamiliar, comfortable vs. uncomfortable, old vs. new, even sometimes evil vs. good. Poscente also writes, "without conflict there is not growth, and the most challenging conflict is within ourselves" (p53). It becomes important to talk to ourselves and not merely listen to ourselves. Telling ourselves the truth, creates the atmosphere to defeat the temptation to believe lies about ourselves.  

            Leading sales strategist Blair Singer writes in an article called It's All in Your Head  in the February 2011 issue of Success magazine, "What many people don't understand is that the toughest sell of all is selling yourself to yourself. It's overcoming that "little voice" in your head that says, I'm not that kind of person. What if they don't like me? What if I look stupid? I'm too old, too young or too dumb. That little voice is Public Enemy No. 1 to your income and personal growth." 

            Singer continues, "Another sneaky trick your little voice plays on you has to do with your self-concept. No matter how responsible, diligent or hard working you are, if your self-concept is low, your results will never exceed it. If your little voice beats the daylights out of you and tells you that you are stupid, incapable or a poor salesperson, your self-concept will be low, and your results will follow suit.

            So how do you manage that little voice? Here are a couple strategies: 

            Start with affirmations like, "I'm an awesome salesperson, and I know I can do this." Repeat this every time doubt seeps in. Your little voice is simply a result of your prior programming, and you can re-program it quickly. ...

               Another great way to overcome the little voice in the face of fear is to recall a time in your life when you had a big win. I learned this technique from Tony Robbins, and I use it constantly. Recall where you were, what you saw, how it felt and what you were saying to yourself at the time. When you can recall it, make a fist and shout, "Yes!" Your energy will come up, and you will walk into your call with the memory and feeling of success instead of fear.

            The bottom line is there is a much bigger person inside of you than you give yourself credit for. When you learn to master your little voice, the big, bold, powerful, rich you will emerge. It is your destiny. Now, be awesome!"

            Those of you who have a strong faith in God may be asking, "Where does God fit in all this?" "Aren't you giving too much credit to human willpower and self-achievement?" I believe self-talk is important, even if it means bringing God into the conversation. Even if you have invited God to demonstrate his power in your life, you have to continue to choose to yield to that power. A decision to follow your desire for self-improvement and inspiration does not presuppose an act of self-aggrandizement. In fact Jesus himself summed up God's commandments this way, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:37-39). In order to genuinely love your neighbor, you have to truly love yourself. That means being comfortable with the unique traits, abilities, and dis-abilities you were meant to personify. Your identity and purpose in life hinges on what you value and perceive as meaningful. Loving others is a choice, impossible to make if you haven't first chosen to love yourself as God made you and loves you.

            I would like to draw on the wisdom of one of my all time favorite thinkers named Viktor Frankl, MD.  In his best selling book Man's Search for Meaning he writes,

"Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.."  The Austrian psychiatrist Frankl won the battle in his mind to find life's meaning. Frankl did not  allow his imprisonment in four Nazi concentration labor camps to demean his existence. He survived  because of his desire for meaning. His logotherapy teaches us to inquire of life for meaning rather than to inquire of meaning for life.

            Frankl also says, "Don't aim at success — the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it." Frankl is trying to help us see that life is so much more than fortunes, fame, pleasure, and power. It is about giving your existence away to people and causes bigger than any one life (ie. you) can ever be. Meaning is an attitude. Finding meaning is believing in yourself enough to know you're here for a purpose, and you are committed to your responsibility to find the fullness of that purpose.

            A book that expounds Frankl's themes for the workplace is called Prisoners of Our Thoughts by Alex Pattakos, PhD.  Employee enrichment consultant Pattakos applies these principles to finding meaning in one's work and occupation. Our mindset, and specifically what we believe about ourselves, determines our performance and level of fulfillment.

            Self-concept is at the root of many mental and emotional health problems. Stress, anxiety, discouragement, depression, addictions, etc. are often unwittingly attached to lack of self-worth and self-rejection of some type. Chapter One of my book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses how the inner person becomes imprisoned by perception and interpretation of life's offenses.

            Call it a prison, little inner voice, an elephant,, or call it whatever you wish.  Personal growth experts all agree that believing in yourself is the single most important factor in changing a negative direction into a positive one. Your self-concept is in charge of your life, and only you can be in charge of your self-concept.

            I said earlier that you have to be willing to talk to yourself to find out what you believe about yourself. May I also suggest that you have to be willing to take action in a different direction when your conversation reveals misbeliefs about yourself that are at the root of limiting, destructive patterns of behavior. Waiting for other people or circumstances to change before making your decision to turn directions will halt your personal growth. Mahatma Gandhi exhorted, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

            Does your self-talk produce belief (faith), or create unbelief (doubt and fear)? What can you do to increase your faith, and reduce your fear? What step are you willing to take right now? Go for it!

 

            Note:   The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses themes of dealing with offense and finding freedom in forgiveness.  This book is designed to help people (especially in the Christian faith)  to discover and dislodge things in life that lead to defeat. Don't miss out on your chance to use this book as a helpful tool in discovering Refuge in Christ. It can be purchased by clicking here:  http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Living from the Mind and Heart

             Do you find yourself asking a lot of "why"  questions to figure out life?  If certainly is okay to be curious and ask questions to find out as much as we can to make life better for all of us.  But, at the same time, the older I become, the more I believe the color gray is as close to black or white as will be achieved by human effort in answering some of the most difficult questions in life.  Why is this?  <smile!>  Simply because the "heart" factor is what fuels life.   

            God placed man uniquely in His creation as a living soul. Job writes, “But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding” (Job 32:8). Man is a spiritual being, and as such, spiritually sensitive to spiritual matters. “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.” (Rom. 8:11) As explained here by the apostle Paul, believers in Jesus Christ have a regenerated dimension of spiritual discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit living inside them. The spirit of a person connects to spiritual matters through both the mind and heart.

God created human response as a complexly intrinsic combination of intellectual, volitional and emotional elements. God views each person as a “whole person” (both physical and nonphysical). Many Scriptures mention the words, mind and heart, contextually as a dichotomy. Although some Scriptures seem to speak of mind and heart together as the same entity, many Scriptures indicate at least a slightly different makeup of the two. Distinctions are made between functions related to thinking patterns and orientation related to core belief systems and values.

The difference between knowing about and experiencing forgiveness (as discussed in the previous blog post) may also be related to this distinction. “From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits” (Ps. 73:7). Here evil conceits of the mind lead to a callous heart, producing the fruit of iniquity. Jeremiah 31:33 says, “‘This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’” Here the act of “putting” in the mind is contrasted to “writing” on the heart (a much more involved process, as etching into tablets).

This prophetic word spoken by Jeremiah is quoted by the author of Hebrews to emphasize the gravity of Christ’s sacrificial work for the forgiveness of sin.⁵² “By one sacrifice, he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”⁵³ Jesus Himself quoted Isaiah in Mark 7:6-7, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.” When teachings and exercises of the mind do not accompany a heart devoted to honoring God’s ways, Jesus calls this hypocrisy.

The modern world has taught us to seek a “scientific” method to resolve problems, but the methodology breaks down when applied to human behavior. Trying to reduce human interaction to objective methodology does not take into account the individual’s uniqueness endowed by his Creator. Because of the intricate balance of mind (brain power) and heart (inner being), a person must seek for both to be changed when trying to overcome bad habits and destructive behaviors.

Spiritual maturity involves a balancing of the mind, heart and will in life issues. A person’s spirit is active in both cognitive and emotional experiences. The human soul is the meeting place of mind and heart. Engaging the mind challenges ungodly beliefs and helps enforce new beliefs necessary for transformation. Examining (discerning) heart attitudes, thoughts, motives, feelings, and emotions help reveal core beliefs which govern behaviors. Together, the mind and heart contribute to the “whole soul” in the process of healing and living out forgiveness.

An important distinction must be made here. In describing a person’s heart; the heart is not synonymous with feelings and specific emotions. Experiencing life from the heart is not simply doing what feelings dictate. Feelings-based living leads to foolish consequences.  Living from the heart means there is an inner directive that, if governed by the Spirit of God, keeps the person on a path that is spiritually attuned to who he or she is and how God is leading. When people’s hearts are focused on God, they see who they are and know what they are to be doing.

The Word of God instructs that a man’s heart is “deceitful above all things and beyond cure”,  and all need God to heal their condition (save from sin). Isaiah 53:4-6 states:

 ”Surely he took up our infirmities
      and carried our sorrows,
      yet we considered him stricken by God,
      smitten by him, and afflicted.

 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
      he was crushed for our iniquities;
      the punishment that brought us peace was upon    

      him, and by his wounds we are healed.

 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
      each of us has turned to his own way;
      and the LORD has laid on him
      the iniquity of us all.”

The heart that experiences Jesus is a changed heart; a heart where He resides and provides forgiveness of sins. There are many references to a transformed heart throughout Scripture. One passage is in the book of Ephesians, where the apostle Paul prays for the new believers in the Ephesian church. “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Eph. 3:16-17) Faith in the accomplished work (of forgiveness) of Jesus Christ is the most powerful agent in the process of changing a person’s inner being. God wants to live in people’s hearts. When He is there they experience the freedom and power to be the persons He created them to be.

            This week I returned from a trip visiting Christian brothers and sisters in Haiti. I learned much about the people and culture in Haiti.  I appreciated the opportunity to share in their hunger and thirst for the things of God. It is amazing to see how God has created people with common expectations and experiences across all times, places, races, ethnicities, cultures, and nationalities. No single group or nation possesses the complete mind and heart of God. We all need each other to be the complete Bride whom Christ is returning to wed.

            I pray that "God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 5:23).

            Note:   The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses themes of dealing with offense and finding freedom in forgiveness.  Most of the text above is taken directly from text in Chapter Four of the book. I pray that you will find this book a helpful tool in discovering Refuge in Christ. It can be purchased by clicking here: http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Receiving the Gift of Forgiveness

                 The Christmas season includes much to do with giving gifts and the New Year is a perfect time to practice the theme of my previous blog post to evaluate whether you are focused merely on symptoms or whether your resolutions have a good chance of producing solutions. A related theme in this blog post is understanding forgiveness as a gift. It is more blessed to give than receive, right? When considering our human-to-human relationships Jesus certainly taught this to be true, but when we humans can learn how to better receive from our loving Father and Creator, we will have much more to give in our human relationships. The truth of the matter is that we have nothing to give, that we haven't first received from our heavenly Father. 

                 When it comes to understanding and practicing forgiveness, one of the most common errors is to try to forgive in our own strength. Human will power and mere choice does not accomplish forgiveness. God does, through the Gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Allowing this revelation to become more or a reality, could be the most radically life-changing resolutions you will ever make.

            Knowing about forgiveness is not enough; one must experience forgiveness. To practice God-centered forgiveness, one must know the Forgiver. A cognitive ascent to the truth about redemption helps to prepare the way, but a personal relationship with the Redeemer affords the intimacy needed for the act of receiving the gift. For a gift to accomplish its intended purpose for being given, it must be received. An act of kindness shrugged off by a recipient does not complete the purpose for a giver expressing love. A $100 check may be given to a family member on a special occasion, but unless the check is cashed into a bank account, the gift cannot be discharged for its intended use. 

The transforming power of forgiveness must be received and experienced in our heart (as a gift from Father God) in order for the “renewing of the mind” to be accomplished. A Christian’s conversion opens the door (deposits the check in the illustration above) to the Holy Spirit’s power to appropriate the miracle of God’s free gift of forgiveness as discussed more in Chapter Three of my book referenced in this blog.

            Another dominant theme in the book is how sanctification involves a cooperative effort between God and man. One of the gauges of maturity in a Christian’s life is the ability to receive God’s love (in greater and greater measures) and extend His love to other people. Being able to express and receive love is the true test of our relationship with God.

            Jesus completed the work of forgiveness. Recognizing both the volitional and emotional aspects of the suffering of Christ in accomplishing forgiveness creates increased awareness of the depths of God’s love. Christ acted in accordance with the Father’s pleasure. No greater love can be known. The type of suffering Christ endured had been prophesied by Isaiah and others hundreds of years before Christ came to earth. Christ knew precise details of the kind and magnitude of his sufferings, including the excruciatingly painful death He would have to experience.

            In order to atone for the sin of mankind (to satisfy God’s wrath), Christ had to suffer. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb. 12:2-3). In his humanity, Jesus suffered. He suffered temptation; rejection, and betrayal; hardships in ministry on behalf of others; sorrow and remorse; and the struggle of accepting the suffering in the garden of Gethsemane.

             Christ suffered extreme physical pain in the process of crucifixion. Though sinless himself, He suffered the judgment of God the Father for sin. In his death, Jesus accomplished the death of death. The work of Christ on the cross provides the basis of forgiveness of sin. Forgiveness of sin was the focus of the teaching of Jesus. Jesus demonstrated his power over evil, performed miracles (not being preoccupied with his own suffering), gave glory to whom glory was due (His Father), showed great patience in his sufferings, refrained from returning evil for evil, and maintained a sense of mission through it all. His suffering in death and His resurrection give meaning and hope in the midst of our suffering (Bible references are included in the book).

            What a gift! In my own life, this has been one of the most liberating revelations of all time. When I feel hurt or offended in some way, I do not have to come up with an ability to forgive, but instead simply believe and allow God's ability to be activated in my heart.

            I invite you to explore the same reality. Maybe you feel like you are the greatest offender against yourself, like you don't deserve such a wonderful gift, or that others can receive, but you are unable to receive the gift for some reason. Don't believe the lie!  Nothing disqualifies you from being able to receive the gift. Self-doubt and self-condemnation are tactics of an enemy mindset designed to rob you from accessing the Refuge of healing through Jesus--Savior, and most wonderful gift ever given. Don't allow disappointments, discouragement, depression, anxiety, fear, hatred, bitterness or symptoms of the like to steal the solution of receiving and trusting God's love today.

            Note:   The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses themes of dealing with offense and finding freedom in forgiveness.  Most of the text above is taken directly from text near the beginning of Chapter Four of the book. I pray that you will find this book a helpful tool in discovering Refuge in Christ. It can be purchased by clicking here: http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm

           
by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

From Symptoms to Solutions

In the previous blog post we discovered as many as 61 % of people struggling with cancer are found to also struggle with forgiveness. By allowing God to search our hearts and deal with offenses, we have a much better likelihood of living a healthy and productive life. Recognizing symptoms with our cognitive faculties, however, does not automatically translate into heart felt change.

People may know that forgiveness is a biblical concept. Somewhere along the way they also may have been warned about the physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences of UN-forgiveness. Maybe they are genuinely grateful for a God who was willing to take on human form and die an excruciating death that they might be forgiven of their sins. What then, is the reason so many people experience inconsistency between their understanding of forgiveness and their willingness to confess and repent of sinful responses related to offenses and destructive beliefs which mire them in unforgiveness? Robert Jeffress quotes respected counselor and author David Seamands with this answer,

"Many years ago I was driven to the conclusion that the major cause of most emotional problems among evangelical Christians are these: the failure to understand, receive, and live out God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and grace to other people. We read, we hear, we believe a good theology of grace. But that’s not the way we live. The good news of the gospel has not penetrated the level of our emotions."

The medical model of dealing with mental health concerns involves categorizing symptoms to formulate a label. Labeling depression or anxiety, for example, merely as an illness to be treated with medications to alter the physiological makeup of a person, can miss the importance of recognizing the person as a whole: spirit, body, and soul. Many mental health conditions often have spiritual and emotional roots, and research shows that even many physical problems are rooted in emotional and mental health issues. Christians' treatment of things like depression and anxiety, while not ruling out the helpfulness of science, must seek to remove the obstacles that keep people from following God with their whole heart, soul and mind.

Some so-called “emotional problems” are not really problems with emotions, but problems with thinking patterns (including core beliefs) which trigger the emotions. Emotions are neither good nor bad,  and they can be a powerful tool in exposing and clearing up thinking patterns. Emotions can be messengers--carrying a message to encourage deeper assessment of root issues to aid the process of healing.

The Scripture contains many examples of persons who examined their emotions in helping to overcome disappointments, adversities, and embittered hearts. Perhaps no one is more prolific in describing the emotional turmoil of his inner being than David.

David, ancient Israel’s second king, is a person who experienced great suffering in order to fulfill God’s purposes for his life. The outcast of his family, David was taunted by his brothers and not even recognized as a candidate for king when Samuel visited their house. Though David served the king faithfully, Saul (who also suffered from depression) hurled his spear at David, causing him to flee for his life and hide in caves to avoid being hunted down and killed. David also suffered scorn and humiliation by the actions of his wives and son. He broke God’s commands by committing adultery with Bathsheba. Then he committed murder in an attempt to hide the sin of adultery. When confronted by the prophet Nathan, David demonstrated genuine repentance before God. Although God forgave David, the consequences of his sin remained for generations. Through his son Solomon, a division in the kingdom developed into a split between Israel and Judah.

Out of the depths of David’s acquaintance with suffering came the psalm, containing much wisdom, comfort and relevance for today. Many of the psalms David wrote reflected the loss and grief experienced by God’s people. Many, such as Psalm 10, are also examples of how David responds to God in his heart. In Psalm 10, the first twelve verses describe affliction of the worst kind imaginable. David is oppressed and totally defeated by things completely out of his control. His loss cannot be corrected in any way known to man, and he feels helpless.

Then in verses 12-15, David turns his attention to God, and cries out to Him as helper, deliverer, vindicator, and One who is willing to act on behalf of the helpless. Verses 16-18 display David’s heart of gratitude and praise for the mighty works of God. The expression of the human condition is clear. David’s heart progresses from anxiety and depression to allowing his heart to be wooed by God and then to the joy of resting securely in God’s place of victory.  Praising His Creator and acknowledging the truth about who He really is (vv. 17-18), David cooperates with God and his heart is transformed.

In Psalm 10 David writes almost four times the amount of text to describe the sorrow in his heart, than he writes to describe God’s intervention.²⁶ As with many other similar psalms, David takes the time to explore and connect with the pain he was feeling. Similar to David, many people worsen their affliction and heartache by holding grudges, blaming, critically judging, or worrying about things that are out of their control. God allows David to emote and patiently listens to his cry. He waits for David’s thinking to change and his experience to come into alignment with the truth. As in the example of Psalm 10, the truth of God may be one heart cry away from inviting Christ’s forgiving, healing presence into a struggling person’s health concern or broken relationship. Truth transforms thinking, actions, and feelings.

If that sounds like you, take the time right now to talk to God and pour out your heart to HIM.

            Note:  More details about this are in my book.  The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses themes of dealing with offense and finding freedom in forgiveness.  Most of the text above is taken directly from text near the beginning of Chapter Four of the book. I pray that you will find this book a helpful tool in discovering Refuge in Christ. It can be purchased by clicking here: http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

How a Searchlight Helps to Cure Cancer

According to Barna Group survey results published on their web site November 3rd, seventy million Americans "are dealing with unresolved emotional pain or conflict in life." Three out of ten people (30%) perceive their behaviors, dreams, goals, ideals, values, or relationships to be affected by cancerous feelings such as bitterness and resentment.

Dr. Michael Barry published a book earlier this year called The Forgiveness Project. His medical, theological, and sociological research at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America  in Philadelphia, PA finds that 61 percent of cancer patients have struggles with forgiveness of past hurts and wounds, and 34 percent have very severe struggles with things like hatred and revenge. The disease of unforgiveness causes immune deficiency in the body which causes physical health problems including the formation of cancer. Barry's book shares personal stories of patients healed from cancer primarily through their discovery of, and willingness to release, offenses they hadn't fully dealt with from their past. 

If the psychological, physical, and spiritual health problems related to unforgiveness are so obviously apparent, why do so many people remain trapped by their offenses?   The answer to this question is not a simple one and could be tackled from many angles, but I believe looking at the human heart and how it responds to emotional pain is a key. The inability or unwillingness to release offenses is the number one dream-killer of all time.

There are two major categories of fencing (or walls) which result by not properly dealing with offenses. One type of wall is very visible, easily recognized, and distance is maintained whenever possible. The other type of wall is often invisible, hard to recognize, and therefore hinders many activities in life because it pops up at unforeseen moments. The corresponding responses to these types of walls travel in two extreme directions; one is revenge and the other is apathy. Since outward aggression is less socially acceptable, most responses steer away from revenge (at least overtly) and tend toward apathy. This is often a learned pattern in human development from childhood into adulthood. Invisible walls of self-protection develop because repeated failure to find adequate resolution to offenses creates increased distrust of others and increased vulnerability to harm. Negative thoughts form inaccurate beliefs (lies about self and others), which create actions (behaviors), which create habits, which create lifestyle patterns of denying the pain in order to cope. The cycle of offense discussed in my previous blog post shows how this happens in every person alive to some degree at least.

The two types of walls translate into two types of unforgiveness: when your conscious awareness tells you, and when it doesn't. Emotional pain is often minimized or ignored, as explained by the apathetic response described above. The subconscious type of bitterness, hatred, resentment, or blame is much more common and becomes likes a hidden cancer destroying a person. Some of the symptoms that often reveal this are: chronic stress, anxiety, depression, self-condemnation, perpetual conflict, and lack of trust and love for others. In Part Two of my book, Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart, I cover this in much detail.

Failure to deal with offenses, even long forgotten ones, can derail your success in achieving goals and steal your dreams like nothing else. You may not develop cancer cells in your body, but unforgiveness could be eating at your emotions like a cancer that consumes your strength and weakens your ability to be effective in key areas of your life.

True forgiveness is not possible without recognizing, acknowledging, and dealing with root sources of offense. If you are a God-follower, you can take heart in the example of David in Psalms 139. He starts out with verse one saying, "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me." The past tense indicates a relationship and "walk" of habitual transparency of his inner person. The Psalm continues with an intimate description of God's creative ability in forming each individual person with unique traits purposes for being. The last two verses come back to the soul searching theme with David requesting,

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my anxious thoughts.
 See if there is any offensive way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting."  (Psalm 139:23-24)

This indicates intentionality on David's part for God to expose his "anxious thoughts" and "offensive way." In this manner he permits God to deal with the heart of the matter and remove any fences (walls) that his offense had erected. Whether the offense is intentional or unintentional (sin of comission or omission), the crippling, deafening, blinding, and imprisoning effects are the same.

God has a searchlight bright enough to pinpoint your problem "cancer" cells. The "treatment" may not seem pleasant, but healing comes through no other means. Yielding to His love and mercy reaps eternal rewards. The way to break free is to surrender to God the rights of final judgment of the matter that offended you. The mystery of forgiveness frees you from the grasp of either extreme; revenge or apathy. Then you can beat the disease and be on your way to success and significance!

            Note:  The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses themes of dealing with offense and finding freedom in forgiveness.  I pray that you will find this book a helpful tool in discovering Refuge in Christ.  http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm

         

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Overcoming the Cycle of Offense

          Included here is most of the contents of Chapter One of the book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart.

          God's Creation, including the human race He placed on earth as made in His image, is an awesome declaration of purpose and destiny most deeply experienced through the spiritual dimension of being.  Since the beginning of time, mankind has been pretty good at making bad choices and messing up the original design.   The Old Testament prophet Isaiah uses the imagery of imprisonment to communicate the condition of the human race and the mission of Jesus Christ to set us free.

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
    because the LORD has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
   and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them 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.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the LORD
    for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:1-3)

         

As explained later, the poor, brokenhearted captive describes every person who ever lived including all of us today. Jesus came to proclaim liberty to that condition for all who believe in Him.  In Matthew 18 Jesus himself uses an illustration of debtor’s prison to show the condition of the human heart and the need for salvation from being “handed over to the jailers to be tortured” (Matthew 18:34). Torment “is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Matthew 18:35). These verses are discussed more later in the book, but for now let us understand that the Bible clearly connects a lack of forgiveness with imprisonment, hurt and pain in the human heart. 

          How is this hurt produced?  We are hurt through taking offense. In our hearts we harbor disappointment, guilt, condemnation, and other bad feelings toward God, ourselves, or another person(s).  How does the offense imprison our heart? Our heart is imprisoned by building fences: walls of perceived protection and security. These walls not only trap the pain inside, but they often keep out troops sent to rescue the prisoner. When we take the bait of the Enemy’s offense, we become offended and imprisoned in a cycle shown in an illustration (not included here).

          This cycle is common to each of us. Because we live in a fallen, broken, imperfect, wounding, and offensive world, experiencing hurtful emotion is inevitable.

          We become wounded by peoples’ mistakes, misunderstandings, mistreatments, betrayals, injustices, abuses or even crimes.

We nurse the wound by rehearsing in our minds what coulda’, woulda’, shoulda’ been done to avoid the pain.  Many times our anger becomes directed at God for allowing bad things to happen to us. Some blame self, and become imprisoned by self-rejection.

          We make condemning judgments and behave in ways that offend God, ourselves, and other people. Thus, we become an offender.  Bitterness, resentment and blame become an accepted way of life. Without God’s help we try to rectify situations in many ways including revenge, obsessing for justice, forgetting, excusing, ‘moving on’, self-inflicting condemnation, or finding some other way of replacing the negative feelings with positive ones.

          In our quest of human effort we may even find some relief, and so we justify our offense. Unable to surrender to (trust) God the sole right to judge our offender, we reject God’s provision through Jesus to break the cycle. Having agreed with the lie that holding offense solves our problem, we become offensive to someone else who becomes offended, and the cycle spirals on. 

          However, there is hope! Our hope is in Jesus and what God has done through Him. Through God’s Gift of forgiveness, we not only have hope to redeem this cycle in our own lives, but we can reverse this spiral in the lives of others as well.  You do not have to be enslaved by this victim/ predator cycle.  Stress, fear, anger, anxiety, depression and the like no longer have to remain when you allow Christ Jesus into the deepest parts of your heart to break this cycle down.

          The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus is the only true jailbreak for unforgiveness. Therefore, a significant portion of this book discusses the fundamentals of God’s purpose and plan through salvation in Jesus Christ. Before that, in Part One, we must discuss some background and rationale for a Christian handling of the topic of forgiveness.

          In Part Two we will discuss the human response to Christ’s accomplishments. The greatest hindrance to breaking free seems to be recognizing the imprisonment. Sometimes we have become so well-adjusted to imprisonment, it seems hard to imagine what true freedom is really like. Some of us like the comforts in prison. Some of us like the security it provides. Some like the decisions made for them and some are apathetic about change. Some doubt their ability to succeed at a better way, and many are just simply in denial about their condition or unwilling to change their perceptions.  We all choose living in illusion over reality to some degree.           Breaking free occurs from the inside out. As you walk out of the inner most cell, you come to the next barred gate. As you break free of the next courtyard and the next and so on, you eventually come to the outer court and can maneuver to leap the outer fence. This is when you realize that the offense that took you to prison (whether self-inflicted or inflicted by another offender) no longer has a grip on your life. God's original intent for you as a person to live in the freedom of your spiritual nature is engaged.

          In Part Three we discuss how this new freedom in the inner man can change and improve your relationships with other people. God made mankind for community.  Relationship with other people can only be experienced in the deepest way God meant for them to be shared when each individual has broken free of his own prison experience. Each person’s receiving God’s love and giving that love to others is our mission as we journey in the freedom of forgiveness.

          Appendix A of the book contains some additional resources for the reader's equipping and edification.

Appendix B shares a small portion of the author's personal story and how practicing forgiveness has transformed his life.

Appendix C is the contents of a pamphlet written by the author and his wife almost thirty hears ago.  The pamphlet was widely distributed across the U.S. and around the globe in an effort to help women (and men) struggling with abortion.  

The Endnotes contain references to Bible portions and books and articles further cited in the Bibliography at the end of this book.  

          The journey to healing is often like peeling an onion: to arrive at the core, the outer visible layers must be taken off first. The Follow up and Practice material provides some exercises for processing the content in each of the three parts of the book for deeper understanding and application. You will understand why this is true as you read. My suggestion is that you adopt a “long haul” and “forever growing” perspective of allowing God to change your heart. As you do, you will increasingly see fruit in your relationship with God and with others around you. A Study Guide is included at the end of the book to help you with reflecting, expanding, and deepening perceptions, healing, and maturity.

          Our understanding and practice of forgiveness holds the key to freedom. Chapter Two looks at some of the obstacles and misunderstandings of forgiveness.  Thereafter, the remainder of the book focuses on identifying and releasing elements that break down the cycle of offense. 

            For some immediate help from the Book of Refuge (the Bible) here is a small list of places that discuss some key points about forgiveness:  Romans 12:1-2,  Mark 7:20-23, Matthew 5:21-22, Matthew 7:1-3, Hebrews 3:12-13, Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:9, Matthew 18:21-35, Ephesians 4:32, John 20:23, ,2 Corinthians 5:18-21

            The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart is  now available. I pray that you will find this book a helpful tool in finding and deepening Refuge in Christ.
http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Nature Strikes Again

            Within a month's time, our region in Pennsylvania and our nation's capital have seen not just two major forces of nature (the earthquake and hurricane discussed in my previous blog post), but this week also a flood of historic proportions. Streams and creeks swelled far over their banks causing scores of road closings, washing away possessions, cars, and homes, and even several person's lives. Basements of buildings not usually prone to flooding were filled with water from the saturated soil, The devastation and following cleanup are overwhelming for many. Too much water in too short a time creates huge problems.

            Meanwhile, too little water over an extended period of time create drought conditions of the opposite extreme. At the same moment people are enduring flood damages in PA, people are losing all they have in Texas due to wild fires. Historic hot temperatures with no rainfall has created similar conditions of homelessness and  hopelessness.

            Scripture records a consistent pattern of Jesus  teaching a spiritual lesson in the happenings of nature. When He encountered a Samaritan woman drawing water from a well to quench her thirst, he took the opportunity to explain Refuge as drinking of the "living water." At first she did not understand how He could provide water to quench her thirst when He had no instrument with which to draw water from the well. She questioned Him about the nature of this water.  Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

            In the natural, man and beast alike cannot survive without a consistent supply of water in quality and quantity.  Too little or too much rainfall can create extreme conditions of drought or flooding. For a person's soul to find Refuge in God's provision, he must allow Christ Jesus to "become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). Depending on God for this "living water" is the only guarantee of drinking the right amount in the right timing. The pressures and storms of life may come and go, but God consistently provides Refuge in the times of trouble (Ps 46).

            This remains true throughout a spiritual journey of drinking water from Christ's well of Refuge. Jesus speaks of a deeper worship experience in the same conversation mentioned above (in John 4).  As a person grows in their relationship with God as Refuge, he or she knows God in greater measures of His justice and mercy.  "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).  

           

            From a perspective of Refuge in Jesus, life is much more than a natural existence. Each person is more than a body. Each is a "living soul" (Gen 2:7; KJV), a spirit being created to know God and be known by Him. As a disciple of Christ journeys through life, this fellowship of knowing and being known by God is meant to awaken the spirit part of the person in greater and greater measure. Spiritually speaking, we may go through drought or flooding. We may experience hurts or woundings. We may offend or become offended. We may drift from the duality of worshipping God in "spirit and truth." But healing does not have to wait until life on earth is done. God wants us healed to live the rest of our lives drinking "living water" and worshipping Him genuinely in "spirit and truth."

            If  you are relatively satisfied with your place of Refuge at the present time, and you are drinking from the well of Christ's grace and truth, let me encourage you in two ways. First, continue to worship in both spirit and truth so you are prepared to avoid the extremes of drought or flooding when the storms of life may strike. Also, do what you can to help others draw from the Well and discover the living water.

            For each person reading this I pray that you can find His healing water, drink freely, and find Refuge for your soul. Find a Bible and read Psalm 63. Here are the first two verses to make you thirsty. 

O God, you are my God,
   earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
   my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
   where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
   and beheld your power and your glory.   (Ps 63:1-2)

            The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart is  now available. I pray that many will also find this book a helpful tool in finding and deepening Refuge in Christ.    http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Preface: Storms, Devastation, and Refuge

Within the week, not just one, but two major forces of the earth's power touched our region. An earthquake centered above Richmond, VA sent out tremors felt as far north as Canada. Hurricane Irene made it's presence known most of the way up the east coast of the U.S. The sheer size and awesomeness of these events should make it clear that regardless what a person thinks and feels about God, the physical laws of nature are working as designed.

As Jesus taught when he lived on earth, the physical elements have a lot to say about the spiritual realities. The Kingdom of God is not a physical kingdom, but God rules in majesty and power. He lives and reigns in the heart of a person if He is trusted to do so. His Refuge is available, but only at our invitation can it rescue us from the storms of life that erupt in our spirit being. He must be given the authority to change our hearts the way He sees fit.

Since the first sin of mankind, the raw nature of every person who lives on earth is to reject the proper boundaries God has established for the good of all creation, and grab as much control of his or her surroundings and circumstances as possible. This causes inevitable offense. Every person offends and is offended against. I discuss this cycle in Chapter One of the book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart. In Chapter Two I discuss why this is true, and the remainder of the book is what I believe to be the solution.

Every once in a while nature presents itself so powerfully, basic questions about the meaning and purpose in life come to the fore. As with natural disasters, people's behavior sometimes create events which are difficult to understand and raise questions extremely difficult for which to find a spiritual answer. In the Preface of my book, I discuss two of these. About six years ago, two murders happened within a ten month period in our region (Lancaster County, PA)  which greatly influenced my research and purposes for writing the book. In each case, a man who understood and practiced the truth of Christianity, also tolerated a dark place in his soul that became a whirlwind out of control. Hosea 8:7 says, "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind." The ancient nation of Israel (translated as God's people today) became physically and spiritually overcome by the storms. Losing their focus on God as their Refuge cost them everything.

The darkness of unresolved bitterness and resentment created a whirlwind that cost the two murderers everything. One of these men took his own life during the crime, and one has a sentence of life imprisonment. The devastation on family and community members left behind cannot be measured. Perhaps not all the questions can be answered. Not all the issues can be fully resolved. Certainly the deeds done cannot be undone. Past actions cannot be changed, but responses to those actions can be changed. I believe there is a place in God's Refuge where offense can be released.  My book explains how this can be done. Many places in the Bible talk about this, but one that come to mind right now is Hebrews 12. Read it and let me know what you think.

I pray that you can find peace from the storms by surrendering your own attempts at refuge to God's Refuge through Jesus Christ.

The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart will be available in early September.

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Return to Refuge with Psalm 81

For this particular Psalm 81, I think the language used by the New American Standard version of the Bible explains the themes very well. May I encourage you to read Psalm 81 in several translations (including the NASB).

The literal meaning of the Psalm has the writer Asaph leading worshipers into praise of God as Refuge. They are reminded of the oppressive clavery in Egypt, and of the many miracles God performed as He brought them into their land of promise. They are also reminded of the many times they forgot about the mighty acts God did on their behalf and strayed from authentic obedience to God's ways. In times of waywardness God lifted his hand of blessing and allowed bad things to happen to them. But he was always right there, hoping and waiting for them to turn their hearts back to him.

This Psalm was written many years before the arrival of Christ Jesus. Now we can look back on this Psalm through the events of Christ's death and resurrection. We now have the Holy Spirit to breath new meaning. Figurative interpretation and application yields some incredible parallels between God's peoples' wayward hearts spoken of in Psalm 81, and our rebellious hearts today.

As the Psalm begins with an exhortation to sing and make music on every kind of instrument imaginable, we are reminded that a heart devoted to God is a worshipping heart. Picture your heart (inner person) becoming the instrument itself that makes music for God and people to hear. When your heart is tuned to his tuning fork, you are able to play harmonious sounds in perfect pitch. When you stray from the pitch of the Master orchestra leader, your instrument becomes harder and harder to play.

Sometimes we tune our hearts to the wrong kind of sounds, away from God's voice. Verses 11 & 12 read,

"But My people did not listen to My voice,
And Israel {you} did not obey Me.
So I gave  them over to the stubbornness of their heart,
To walk in their own devices."

In verse 9, we are warned against following "strange gods" (idols). An idol is anything that takes your affections away from the rightful place God desires (to have for himself) in your life. An idol is any person, place, or thing that becomes a counterfeit comfort, false refuge, or controlling behavior that steals your heart-allegiance to God. An idol is basically anything that you believe (ever so subtly) is so important, if it were suddenly taken out of your life, you would have difficulty trusting God to be able to fill the void.

If we're honest about it, that pretty much implicates all of us (to one degree or another). If we are trusting Christ as our Savior and Refuge, we are in a process of sanctification; a process of having our hearts transformed (changed) into the likeness of Christ (2 Cor 3:18). Change is something our human nature resists, but is absolutely necessary to break free of encumbrances. This change is all about yielding more and more parts of our heart that are yet "stubborn," for them to become tuned to the Master's voice. "Oh that My people would listen to Me," (v13) says the Master, that you "would walk in My ways!"  In the next two verses God promises to provide Refuge from adversaries, and the final verse of the Psalm says, "I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (v 16). This symbolizes not only a life of survival, but of abundant provision and deep satisfaction. Does this remind you of what Jesus Christ proclaimed of  himself? "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). 

When our hearts are free from idols, we are free to hear God's voice in the clearest way possible, and live the most fulfilling life possible. We are symbolically free of Egypt's slavery to patterns of behavior that seem to control us instead of us controlling them. When idols are removed, our hearts are also free to make the most melodious music possible.

Are there any idols in your life right now, that are keeping you from making beautiful music (in your heart)? Do you feel close enough in your relationship with God  to ask him that question? Do you fear the answer? Let me assure you, (and God wants you to know), He loves and accepts you where you are, but He loves you too much to let you stay where you are. In his grace and mercy there is power to change. You can return to Refuge! 

My forthcoming book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart addresses these topics in much more detail.   http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

The Foreword to the Book

Not only is Refuge a key topic discussed in the Bible, but it has been on the hearts of myriads of refuge-seekers throughout history. The Reformation (as a faith movement)  brought sweeping changes to how "common folk" perceived and practiced their connection to God. By the time western Europeans were settling the "new world" (what eventually became the United States of America), religious freedom became a major reason for many families leaving their familiar surroundings, to explore the opportunities to worship their God in an earthly paradise.

The foreword of my book Escaping the Pain of Offense provides some vision for the part Pennsylvania played in a more recent portion of history. Dr. Robert Doe who authors the foreword, has a family heritage dating back to the Mayflower. His forefathers have held many leadership  posts in arenas such as law, medicine, and government. As an ivy league medical school graduate, he practices a healing profession as doctor. His vision for practicing medicine is much more than a science. While honoring scientific advances, he believes in a much higher power, the strength of which could never be fully discovered with scientific research. Many of his patients express gratitude for his ability to help them find God in the midst of their medical treatment.  

I consider myself privileged to have the opportunity to work with a team of spiritual care counselors who work alongside Dr. Doe to treat persons dealing with issues related to physical and mental health, and addictions. Our approach to helping people includes many of the themes discussed in my book called Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart. The Refuge is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

For more information about how to receive help through a Refuge Clinic (if you live in the Lancaster area), point your WWW browser to this link:

http://lightofhope-cso.org/ministryteam/refugeofhealing.aspx

Below is a sneak preview of the beginning of the Foreword.

William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania and Delaware, wrote these words as he pondered the great possibilities of creating a ‘fresh start’ in the Americas:

“There may yet be room for such a Holy Experiment. For the Nations want a precedent and my God will make it a Seed of a Nation, that an example may be set up to the Nations. That we may do the thing that is wise and just.”

His “Holy Experiment” would establish a place where people could worship God and honor Christ without fear of persecution. Penn invited Anabaptists, Quakers and other persecution-weary peoples to live in the Americas, offering them a promise of religious freedom and a new beginning. This holy ‘seed’ of freedom to worship God together was to serve as an example of true justice and wisdom to all the nations. His vision was to create a government of the people that reflected the Kingdom of God whose foundations are justice and righteousness. Isaiah 9 was a favored passage of his, especially that portion stating that the “government shall be upon His shoulders”.

The Kingdom of God was to be reflected in the society of Pennsylvania. In Luke 9 and

10, this is revealed to be peace, healing, deliverance and new life. In addition to religious and political liberty Philadelphia was also the site of the first institutions of healing in the New World. The first hospital, medical school, pharmacy school, mental hospital, nursing school, osteopathic institute and other medical centers were developed in southeast Pennsylvania as the first of their kind in the United States. Therefore, it could also be expected that healing ministry and practical new models of Christian medical care should be a fruit of the historical blessing of our region. This pioneering of medical services in Philadelphia suggests that physical and emotional healing were also to be a “first fruit” of William Penn’s Kingdom vision.

The Foreword continues to expound on this vision and ends by quoting a verse from Hebrews 11:39-40: "And all these (ancestors), having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”  Each of us can make a difference in our world today because we join the heritage of refuge-seekers who found their Refuge in the God of the Bible whose sovereign plan identifies, provides and protects our value and worth in divine historical context. It's not about us, it's about HIM!

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

The Refuge of Psalm 7

Does doubt and worry creep into your mind and heart because of all the "bad stuff" happening around you?  Does life sometimes feel like a flurry of activity with purpose and meaning difficult to find?

What an incredible place of Refuge in Psalm 7!  David begins, "O LORD my God, I take refuge in you."

As I envision these 17 verses on a graph of intensity, the apex verses are 8-10,

"Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
   according to my integrity, O Most High

O righteous God,
   who searches minds and hearts,
bring to an end the violence of the wicked
   and make the righteous secure.

My shield is God Most High,
   who saves the upright in heart."

Righteousness (or right-ness) seems to be a key element of Refuge.  In the New Testament (NT), Romans 3:22 says, "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."  The Apostle Paul says a few verses later, "to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness" (Rom. 4:5). Trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation (Refuge), establishes the only means of a person's righteousness (right standing) before God.  Therefore, Psalm 7:8 can be interpreted as a bold and substantive declaration of Refuge in the midst of doubt, confusion, or enemy attack. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

May I invite you to read Psalm 7 in its entirety.  Notice that verse 1-7 leading up to verse 8 express a great deal of fear and anxiety regarding David's right standing before God.  He even doubted his Refuge status as a result of some potential oversight (sin of omission) against another person.  We know from a historical context that David was very motivated to follow all the Old Testament (OT) laws of God to secure his right standing--certainly most qualified of anyone among his people. Hence, it is as if he is trying to reassure himself when he states "judge, me O Lord, according to my righteousness" (v8). In the next verse (v9), he regains confidence in God "who searches minds and hearts," and exposes wickedness (offenses of any sort) for God to forgive and make right once again. The remainder of the Psalm praises God for His ability to deal with evil and willingness to act on behalf of those who turn their hearts away from sin to become devoted to Him.

The real punch of this Psalm comes in the last verse which summarizes David's journey and foretells of times beginning with the NT through today.

"I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
   and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High."

God's requirement of righteousness was satisfied through His very own "right son," Jesus, the only right source of salvation and refuge.  Because Jesus made us "right" (a work of HIS, not ours), we are judged "righteous" before Almighty God. We can join with the writer of Phillippians in the NT in proclaiming, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith" (Phil 3:8-9).  Our most sincere endeavors cannot secure our Refuge. The most religious, altruistic, or socially just efforts are never good enough to earn right standing before God.  Psalm 7:8-9 has been answered once and for all in what Jesus accomplished through his death and resurrection. A flurry-filled, activity-based Christian life should be evaluated against Matthew 11:28-29 where Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Human behavior tends toward extremes. We sin or err in one of two directions. Either we put too little faith and trust in Jesus and what he completed (making us "right" with God), or we place too much confidence in our own efforts to appease God and please others to  make things right.  Christ as Refuge makes right.  He corrects  either path of error.

The forthcoming book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart addresses these themes in much more detail.  http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Purpose for the Book

Why write a book on the topic of forgiveness? One reason is because of how greatly misunderstood forgiveness has become. Chapter Two of the book addresses some of the chief concerns in this regard. Another reason is because of the profound influence of this topic in my personal healing journey. This aspect is discussed more in Appendix B of the book. Another reason is because of the profound influence I believe it can have on each  reader's journey to greater health and wholeness.

Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart is my first book publication. Some authors write because they "dream" of publishing a book. This project did not happen that way. The reader will discover in the Preface of the book how circumstances directed me to research this topic. After researching the topic of forgiveness, I found some extremely valuable treasures that I feel compelled to share with others. I wrote a book on the topic of forgiveness not because I had a dream to publish a book, but because I have a dream of sharing the Refuge I've found with others looking for Refuge.

Proverbs 2:1-5 says,

 ¹ My son, if you accept my words
   and store up my commands within you,
² turning your ear to wisdom
   and applying your heart to understanding,
³ and if you call out for insight
   and cry aloud for understanding,
⁴ and if you look for it as for silver
   and search for it as for hidden treasure,
⁵ then you will understand the fear of the LORD
   and find the knowledge of God.

Sometimes it takes a significant amount of searching until Refuge is found. But if you seek, you will find. I can attest to this process in my life, and I am confident it is true for everyone reading this as well. Sometimes our path is obstructed with painful situations that make it more difficult to press on.  Physical limitations, unexpected illnesses, and losses of employment, house, spouse, or parents, are types of things that may create hurtful responses. Like all human beings, I have had my share of these. When the way seems dark, I continue on until a place of Refuge is once again found.

Psalm 139:12 provides a Refuge perspective on darkness, "even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." God's infinitely creative ability can make a way where there is no way. I encourage you to find a Bible and read Psalm 139 in its entirety. The last two verses reveal a heart devoted to uprooting offense,

 "²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting. "

Uprooting sources of offense and forgiveness are strongly connected to each other. Showing how this is true and showing ways to overcome is the purpose for writing this book. The book should be available within weeks. I look forward to more dialogue on topics in the book.