http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2008/12/the-process-of-repenting.html The discipleship guide to christian spiritual growth Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:13:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2008/12/the-process-of-repenting.html/comment-page-1#comment-40 Laurie Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:15:00 +0000 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/?p=93#comment-40 Wow, you hit on a topic I've struggled with. It seems like everything is sinful in some way. I have recently started the 12 step class with celebrate recovery to help me move past what I feel powerless over. My problem is not wanting to give up the behaviors that God would frown on but provide a sense of relief for me. In Gerald May's book "Grace and Addiction", he says that when people move past one addiction, instead of filling that place with another one (like you talked about) we need to fill that place with God. I believe he is right, but it’s such an abstract idea that the immediate need calling yearns for an immediate answer so on and on it goes. I am also scared to move into the time when I have given up my behaviors and there is nothing to take its place. What if God wants me to suffer a long time before I get divine relief? What if God leaves that empty place empty? As dysfunctional and sinful as I am now, at least I know what to expect. I hate to depend on God for this and find out he's left me high and dry. I don't want to work that one out in my mind. What would that mean? It might be a time of testing but what is the difference in being tested and being left? Wow, you hit on a topic I’ve struggled with. It seems like everything is sinful in some way. I have recently started the 12 step class with celebrate recovery to help me move past what I feel powerless over. My problem is not wanting to give up the behaviors that God would frown on but provide a sense of relief for me. In Gerald May’s book “Grace and Addiction”, he says that when people move past one addiction, instead of filling that place with another one (like you talked about) we need to fill that place with God. I believe he is right, but it’s such an abstract idea that the immediate need calling yearns for an immediate answer so on and on it goes. I am also scared to move into the time when I have given up my behaviors and there is nothing to take its place. What if God wants me to suffer a long time before I get divine relief? What if God leaves that empty place empty? As dysfunctional and sinful as I am now, at least I know what to expect. I hate to depend on God for this and find out he’s left me high and dry. I don’t want to work that one out in my mind. What would that mean? It might be a time of testing but what is the difference in being tested and being left?

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