Comments on: Crazy Love .1 of 3 http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/ Theology, Church ministry, Seminary, Worship // Proving that even bad writers get readers. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:55:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jan Owen http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1707 Jan Owen Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:45:49 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1707 I'm not sure I think they are sins. I think what we do with them can be sins. Just like anger. I think being stressed or anxious is a reality that we get to decide what we will do with. I feel like an expert on this after the past few years and being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Disorder as a result. I've had to learn to handle these feelings in a Godly way. So I've learned to pray through situations, to check my perspective, my motivations, to explore WHY I might feel this way and to bring that to God. I've learned to be thankful for small things and to realize I don't have all the answers and life on earth is not going to be heaven. I've also learned some hard truths. Ministry is messy, it is tough, it can be dang hard. Being a parent? ditto. This is just the truth. I need to accept that reality and love people in the midst of that. God is really teaching me this. I DO think that using stress and anxiety as an excuse to treat others poorly or make unwise choices is a sin. I've had days that I wanted to "kick the dog" so to speak (I don't have a dog!), but that's when I have to really get on my face before God and examine my heart and pray. I’m not sure I think they are sins. I think what we do with them can be sins. Just like anger. I think being stressed or anxious is a reality that we get to decide what we will do with. I feel like an expert on this after the past few years and being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Disorder as a result. I’ve had to learn to handle these feelings in a Godly way. So I’ve learned to pray through situations, to check my perspective, my motivations, to explore WHY I might feel this way and to bring that to God. I’ve learned to be thankful for small things and to realize I don’t have all the answers and life on earth is not going to be heaven. I’ve also learned some hard truths. Ministry is messy, it is tough, it can be dang hard. Being a parent? ditto. This is just the truth. I need to accept that reality and love people in the midst of that. God is really teaching me this.

I DO think that using stress and anxiety as an excuse to treat others poorly or make unwise choices is a sin. I’ve had days that I wanted to “kick the dog” so to speak (I don’t have a dog!), but that’s when I have to really get on my face before God and examine my heart and pray.

]]> By: Yonas http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1706 Yonas Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:14:44 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1706 Ah now your post makes sense! (the misread part..not the dumb part) :) All is well. Ah now your post makes sense! (the misread part..not the dumb part) :)

All is well.

]]> By: Lindsey http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1705 Lindsey Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:05:27 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1705 haha, Yonas I totally read your comment wrong the first time. I read, "The Bible DOESN'T say..." Because I'm dumb. Sorry about that. :) haha, Yonas I totally read your comment wrong the first time. I read, “The Bible DOESN’T say…” Because I’m dumb. Sorry about that. :)

]]> By: Melinda Groth http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1704 Melinda Groth Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:58:20 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1704 Oh dear. This one is a trigger/hot spot for me. The number of times this has come up in prayer requests is boggling. So let's pray and have grace and compassion for all of those amongst us who have anxiety disorders. This is well beyond their ability to control without healing help. I have seen that one verse, out of context, used to shame those that fit this category and it breaks my heart. They do not choose to have the anxiety, by choice. Instead, it is often triggered by significant events that have happened in their lives, switching on the disorder. Adding shame and accusatory finger pointing is not healing. It is additionally crippling. We as fellow believers have the opportunity to be healers, when we show compassion and grace. Oh dear. This one is a trigger/hot spot for me. The number of times this has come up in prayer requests is boggling.
So let’s pray and have grace and compassion for all of those amongst us who have anxiety disorders. This is well beyond their ability to control without healing help. I have seen that one verse, out of context, used to shame those that fit this category and it breaks my heart. They do not choose to have the anxiety, by choice. Instead, it is often triggered by significant events that have happened in their lives, switching on the disorder. Adding shame and accusatory finger pointing is not healing. It is additionally crippling. We as fellow believers have the opportunity to be healers, when we show compassion and grace.

]]> By: Tyler http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1703 Tyler Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:48:35 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1703 Jonathan- I agree sin can have a feel of a piling of shame. But at the same time, if it is sin then it is our judge to change how we live. We shouldn't avoid sin because of the shame we might feel, we should avoid it because it takes away from our relationship to Chris. I think Chan gets there, just later on in the book. Ash- Interesting, still chewing on this. Seems easier said than done...but of course, what isn't? Like what you said though for sure. Jonathan- I agree sin can have a feel of a piling of shame. But at the same time, if it is sin then it is our judge to change how we live. We shouldn’t avoid sin because of the shame we might feel, we should avoid it because it takes away from our relationship to Chris. I think Chan gets there, just later on in the book.

Ash- Interesting, still chewing on this. Seems easier said than done…but of course, what isn’t? Like what you said though for sure.

]]> By: ash http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1702 ash Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:16:04 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1702 Anxiousness can certainly cause sin, but is an emotion and therefore I don't believe that it is sin in and of itself. Anger is an emotion and is not sinful, but we should be careful that it doesn't cause us to sin. The verse, to me, was meant to encourage us b/c I believe that God understands we can get stressed out and frustrated. What he's asking of us, is that before we sin and it becomes a source of pride (or a bad attitude toward others)- that we give it to him, "cast our cares," relax and let go. Anxiousness can certainly cause sin, but is an emotion and therefore I don’t believe that it is sin in and of itself. Anger is an emotion and is not sinful, but we should be careful that it doesn’t cause us to sin. The verse, to me, was meant to encourage us b/c I believe that God understands we can get stressed out and frustrated. What he’s asking of us, is that before we sin and it becomes a source of pride (or a bad attitude toward others)- that we give it to him, “cast our cares,” relax and let go.

]]> By: Jonathan Brink http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1701 Jonathan Brink Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:54:04 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1701 I wonder if the issue is if it is a sin, which has a way of piling on the shame, or that it is breaking us, which invites us to restoration. I choose to latter. Unfortunately Chan doesn't come across that way in your quote. Perhaps he does in the rest. I wonder if the issue is if it is a sin, which has a way of piling on the shame, or that it is breaking us, which invites us to restoration. I choose to latter. Unfortunately Chan doesn’t come across that way in your quote. Perhaps he does in the rest.

]]> By: Yonas http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1700 Yonas Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:02:21 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1700 Yes, that was the verse I was thinking :) Yes, that was the verse I was thinking :)

]]> By: Lindsey http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1699 Lindsey Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:18:21 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1699 Actually, Yonas, Phillipians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (NIV) That's one of my favorite Bible verse because I find such comfort and reassurance in it, but it's probably also the one I struggle with the most. I worry a lot, almost always about things I have absolutely no control over and I get stressed very easily. And I know my relationships with others suffer when I do get that way, because I don't want to be bothered with anything except what I (falsely) think is so urgent. I think anxiousness and stress become sin when you let them control your entire mindset, when you don't turn your attitude over to God and relinquish control. I think maybe anxiousness and stress are signs that you're making idols of stuff in your life (school, family, work, etc etc) and therefore taking your focus away from God. The deeper issue, I guess, is not that you're stressed but WHY you're stressed. Just my opinion. :) Actually, Yonas, Phillipians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (NIV)

That’s one of my favorite Bible verse because I find such comfort and reassurance in it, but it’s probably also the one I struggle with the most.

I worry a lot, almost always about things I have absolutely no control over and I get stressed very easily. And I know my relationships with others suffer when I do get that way, because I don’t want to be bothered with anything except what I (falsely) think is so urgent.

I think anxiousness and stress become sin when you let them control your entire mindset, when you don’t turn your attitude over to God and relinquish control. I think maybe anxiousness and stress are signs that you’re making idols of stuff in your life (school, family, work, etc etc) and therefore taking your focus away from God. The deeper issue, I guess, is not that you’re stressed but WHY you’re stressed.

Just my opinion. :)

]]> By: Yonas http://manofdepravity.com/2008/07/30/crazy-love-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1698 Yonas Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:57:54 +0000 http://tylerbraun.wordpress.com/?p=562#comment-1698 Although the bible does say "Do not be anxious", I don't think it's a 'sin' to be anxious or to stress out (like I did last night...BIG time among other things..mentally/psychologically burned out was another). Just my thoughts. Although the bible does say “Do not be anxious”, I don’t think it’s a ’sin’ to be anxious or to stress out (like I did last night…BIG time among other things..mentally/psychologically burned out was another).

Just my thoughts.

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