Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 33
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
Notice: this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. Why a blog? So that multitudes can receive the weekly
thoughts I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.
These
next few pages in SIW are very important in understanding “what is the problem,”
and how difficult it is sometimes to connect with the one seeking relief. There is so much in these pages that I couldn’t
really do justice to them without copying every paragraph (an impossibility in
a short writing like I’m doing). SO…IF
you haven’t contacted ALMI to get one of these books, let me encourage you
strongly to do so NOW! This is too good
and too important to miss out on!
What
I will do today is try to list what I think are some of the more important
points, so that those with books can take a long look at the truths presented
by Michael.
Blessings!
THE PROBLEM
IS NOT THE PROBLEM
excerpt
from pages 94-99 of SIW (5th printing,
March 1998)
excerpt
from pages 90-96 of SIW (14th printing,
March 2012)
(used with permission from
ALMI):
In
order to have a problem we must rebel against God, and the only thing that will
justify rebellion is anger.
…the
Christian who is rebelling against God…must bring himself to a point of anger
before he can justify his rebellion, and the greater the rebellion the greater
the need for anger.
Whenever
an event takes place that proves you are the very thing you have worked so hard
not to be, you will become angry, rebel, and develop some way of coping with
the nakedness that comes from having your success suit removed. We can conclude that the problem is not the
problem, the event is not the problem, but your identity at your worst is the
problem.
A
marriage partner wants us to love his or her whole person, which, depending on
the amount of past damage done to the inner life, may be quite impossible. Some have inner lives that are truly
unlovable; they know it, and if we confirm it to them we must pay a price –
they will withdraw or explode to punish us for our observations.
The
problem is not the flat tire (In a given
situation, the problem will not be the “thing” – Lee), but the amount of
stress carried over from the past and the acquired disposition from it.
If
my husband…if I had…if my kids…if my parents…if I owned – then all would be
well! But these are…only the branches
that reveal root rot, which is the inner life that has taken on an identity
which it hates, which controls, and which must remain hidden from others.
(this is entire last paragraph - Lee)
Our
root problem is that the inner life’s identity controls us. If we could destroy this identity of what we
are at our worst and replace it with a new one, then daily events would not
have power over us; we would have no need to become angry and rebellious, coping
with our varied idols.
Wow! The first statement is so incredible…how can
we understand that ALL our problems are rebellion against God?!? Only God could show us that…and help us to
deal with that! Actually, He shows us we
have a FAITH problem! What we believe
about Him, or anything He has said…
Then Michael brings
us to the point of recognizing and acknowledging our inner life (self) before
bringing us to the conclusion of this chapter by the specific diagnosis of the
control of the inner life’s identity. Whew! This is where we take a deep breath, grab a
drink (non-alcoholic, of course!), sit in our easy chair, and meditate for a
bit. “Dear God, HOW are WE going to “destroy
this identity of what I am at my worst and replace it with a new one” so
that daily events DON’T have any power over me, and that I have no need to
become angry and rebellious, and get rid of all my old idols???”
Well, amen. Guess what…Michael turns another corner, and in
chapter 7 he starts giving us the answers that solve all these problems (“The
Loss of Self-life”). Yes!!!
Note:
if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books,
please contact ALMI
(www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Getting
Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
leemccm@gmail.com
1737 CR
2051 Nacogdoches, Tx 75965 936-559-5696
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