Comments on: The Cycle of Idol/Addiction Destruction

By: Grace

Grace — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:24:35 +0000

Thinking out loud here: but don’t you think it was “painful” for the prodigal son to go to his father and tell him he had spent all the money his father had worked his whole life for?
I feel as if I am on a similar path as Ben in trying to figure out, deal with, get healing from past and present sin in my life. I am only just starting to try to deal with this and yet it is already painful.
Even though I am mostly talking about an “emotional” pain, I still feel like I have a low pain tolerance.
I guess I just have a hard time believing that if we are truly trying to work through our sin and truly receive God’s healing that this process would not include pain in some way. I just don’t think it’s possible. Thoughts??

By: rb

rb — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:16:22 +0000

stephanie,
clarification . . . “god is too good to require pain” as a part of repentance . . . the pain in childbirth was/is a direct consequence of an action to thwart god’s authority. yes, i believe god disciplines his children, but once the child is ready to submit I don’t believe he then requires it to be painful (i.e. prodigal son)

ben,
touche (with that little thing above the e)

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:50:19 +0000

hey rb, thanks for your response. i have the feeling if people thought about the implications of this they would arrive at a similar conclusion.
one thing that may help to clarify. i am talking about the process leading up and including repentance. the process that for some reason most are not willing to make. like the rich young ruler.
the question i am asking is why was it so hard for some? were they really that unique? or could it be that many of us do not understand the true nature of dying to ourselves?

By: stephanie

stephanie — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:32:30 +0000

Hi rb, it’s interesting that you say God is too good to require pain. How come he greatly increased woman’s pain in childbirth, etc?

By: rb

rb — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:52:40 +0000

I don’t like even thinking about going down the road of having to feel intense pain to actually release idols. I think it’s dangerous and teeters on telling someone they have to pay pennance (sp?) for the things they used to hold on to. In my cynical nature, I would love to have to go through pain to release idols, but I don’t think you have to do that. God is too good to require pain. I’m sure sometimes pain is present, but to say it is necessary is taking it too far.

By: stephanie

stephanie — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:04:15 +0000

There’s no way to do it without pain, because not having control is scary and painful. It’s freeing and beautiful, and also scary and painful. This is why, when you’re emotionally numb, you can’t experience beauty OR pain. When you increase your emotional capacity for pain, you increase it for beauty. It’s all correlated, like CS Lewis says.

By: Will

Will — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:37:41 +0000

Dude unfortunately I don’t think there is a way to release the idols and addictions without pain. It’s horrible to go through, but it brings healing and freedom. And you’re led through the valley of the shadow of death….you don’t stay there.

By: Danice Collins

Danice Collins — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:59:08 +0000

It is very difficult and scary to give up idols, but I am very sad when I realize that they have become more important to me than God. Every time I sin, I am pleasing myself through some stupid idol I have made instead of worshipping and pleasing my amazing God. Thank God for His amazing never ending grace!