The Problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality

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Guided by the ethos of our value of renewal.

"we experience God’s restorative power flowing into and mending the broken and hurting places, and we join the stream of this grand renewal project by making known the all encompassing love of JESUS in our neighborhoods & city”

Our value of renewal is that "we experience God’s restorative power flowing into and mending the broken and hurting places, and we join the stream of this grand renewal project by making known the all encompassing love of JESUS in our neighborhoods & city

"we experience God’s restorative power flowing into and mending the broken and hurting places, and we join the stream of this grand renewal project by making known the all encompassing love of JESUS in our neighborhoods & city”

Major area of hurt and brokenness is emotional health

Two guiding categories for this series are Emotional health, defined as our ability to be self-aware, and love well and Contemplative spirituality--slowing down to cultivate our relationship with Jesus.

During the the next 6 weeks we’ll explore

Emotional health

Defined as our ability to be self-aware and love well

Love well and Contemplative spirituality--slowing down to cultivate our relationship with Jesus.

Contemplative spirituality

Slowing down to cultivate our relationship with Jesus.

6 week series on emotional healthy spirituality.

Six week series on emotional healthy spirituality.

Wk 1: The Problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality

The Problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality

Wk 2: Knowing Yourself that You May Know God

Knowing Yourself that You May Know God

Wk 3: Going Back to Go Forward

Going Back to Go Forward

Wk 4: Journeying through the Wall

Journeying through the Wall

Wk 5: Daily Rhythms and Sabbath

Daily Rhythms and Sabbath

Wk 6: Growing into an Emotionally Mature Adult

Growing into an Emotionally Mature Adult

Peter Scazzero’s Emotional Healthy Spirituality

Buy the Book, link in the App

Buy the Book

link in the App

Work through the resource throughout the week to mature in your emotional health

Biblical Case Study for a lack of emotional health is Saul

First King of Israel

Anointed King of Israel tasked with the total destruction of Amalek

Set apart from all other… Started well… Character compromised

He was tasked with the total destruction of Amalek

Spared the King and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

When the time came Saul

Spared the King

The best livestock

All that was good

All that was despised and worthless was devoted to destruction.

The word of the LORD came to Samuel and told him of Saul’s disobedience.

[Please stand out of reverence for the Word of God]

13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”

English Standard Version Chapter 15

17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?”

17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” 26 And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Openning Prayer

It is in the confession of our brokenness that the real strength of new and everlasting life can be affirmed and made visible. - Henri Nouwen

The LORD Rejects Saul

Samuel confronts the character of Saul

Saul presents himself as healthy

“Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”

Note at the end of the chapter Agag the king of the Amalek’s responds in a similar manner.

Agag the king of the Amalek’s

Presenting himself in a cheerful disposition

Everything is ok

What lies underneath what we present to others?What are the triggers?Saul attempts to shift blameI did this for sacrifice, not spoil.Verse 20, I did, the people took the spoil...And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .Obedience is better than sacrifice obey. . . .The sin of divination? (witchcraft) 7081. קֶסֶם qesem (890c); from an unused word; divination:—divination(10), divine decision(1).Magic - prediction of future events.

What lies underneath what we present to others?

When confronted

Saul attempts to shift blame

I took the best things for sacrifice, not spoil.

The people took the spoil.

I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

The desperation of Saul

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.

The desperation of Saul manifest

Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.

What was happening underneath

Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore.

Violent outburst to the loss of his identity

Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.

Painful

Pain has a way of bringing focus to areas of un-health.

“C. S. Lewis introduced the phrase “pain, the megaphone of God.” “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains,” he said; “it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

“C. S. Lewis introduced the phrase “pain, the megaphone of God.” “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains,” he said; “it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” The word megaphone is apropos, because by its nature pain shouts. When I stub my toe or twist an ankle, pain loudly announces to my brain that something is wrong. Similarly, the existence of suffering on this earth is, I believe, a scream to all of us that something is wrong. It halts us in our tracks and forces us to consider other values.” - Philip Yancey, Where Is God When It Hurts

pain shouts.

When I stub my toe or twist an ankle, pain loudly announces to my brain that something is wrong.

Similarly, the existence of suffering on this earth is, I believe, a scream to all of us that something is wrong.

It halts us in our tracks and forces us to consider other values.” - Philip Yancey, Where Is God When It Hurts

It is easy to demonize Saul, to discredit his story

The story of Saul is a depiction of every person

one degree or another we find this story in our story

layers of emotional un-health

Saul, the anointed king of Israel , teaches us that spiritual status w/out emotional health can be devastating and destructive to yourself, your relationship with God, and the people around you.

Christian spirituality, without an integration of emotional health, can be deadly—to yourself, your relationship with God, and the people around you. very few people emerge out of their families of origin emotionally whole or mature.Shame, secrets, lies, betrayals, relationship breakdowns, disappointments, and unresolved longings for unconditional love lie beneath the veneer of even the most respectable families.

Saul is not an outlier

very few people emerge out of their families of origin emotionally whole or mature.

Shame, secrets, lies, betrayals, relationship breakdowns, disappointments, and unresolved longings for unconditional love lie beneath the veneer of even the most respectable families.

Sauls attempt to reconcile disobedience is like so many modern day Christians.

30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.”

Expectation is for encounter and transformation.

The Lord is near, that the Lord heals and restores, but discouragement and doubt grow when there is a lack of healing, or the assumption that healing doesn’t involve participation, intentionality and time.

Story about a lack of awareness of our humanity.

Charismatic - fresh encounter with God

The Lord is near, that the Lord heals and restores, but discouragement and doubt grow when there is a lack of healing, or the assumption that healing doesn’t involve participation, intentionality and time.

Conservative - perfect Bible verse

Story about a lack of awareness of our humanity.

How do we handle emotional unhealthy spirituality

Top Ten

As a Christian leader

Study Scripture

Scripture

Study Scripture

Scripture

Deeper Community

Community

Inspiring Worship

Worship

Consistant Prayer

Prayer

Power of the Spirit

The power of the Spirit.

Equipping for Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual warfare issues.

Application of Scripture in the Authority of Jesus

Apply Scripture and pray in Jesus’ authority for people to be set free

Prophetic Awareness

Prophetic insight

Gospel Saturation

Gospel - standing in God on the basis of Jesus

Emphasis on Mission

Biblical truth is in each and they have a place in your spiritual development

Yet for many transformation doesn’t happen in the deep places of our lives.

Transformation not occuring in the deep places of our lives.

“When people have authentic spiritual experiences—such as worship, prayer, Bible studies, and fellowship—they mistakenly believe they are doing fine, even if their relational life is fractured and their interior world is disordered. Their apparent “progress” then provides a spiritual reason for not doing the hard work of maturing.” - Peter Scazzero

When people have authentic spiritual experiences—such as worship, prayer, Bible studies, and fellowship—they mistakenly believe they are doing fine, even if their relational life is fractured and their interior world is disordered. Their apparent “progress” then provides a spiritual reason for not doing the hard work of maturing.I

They mistakenly believe they are doing fine, even if their relational life is fractured and their interior world is disordered. Their apparent “progress” then provides a spiritual reason for not doing the hard work of maturing.

Icebergs show only one tenth of their mass. Nine tenths remain submerged and unseen.

Show the 10% of ourselves

In our more honest moments, most of us will admit that, much like an iceberg, we are made up of deep layers that exist well beneath our day-to-day awareness.

Show the 10% of ourselves

In our more honest moments, most of us will admit that, much like an iceberg, we are made up of deep layers that exist well beneath our day-to-day awareness. As the following illustration shows, only about 10 percent of an iceberg is visible. This 10 percent represents the ways we conduct ourselves and the changes we make that others can see.Contemporary spiritual formation and discipleship models address some of that 90 percent below the surface. The problem is that a large portion (see below the dotted line) remains untouched by Jesus Christ until there is a serious engagement with what I call “emotionally healthy spirituality.”emotional health and spiritual maturity are inseparable. It is not possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.In short order, here are the top ten symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality: Using God to run from God Ignoring anger, sadness, and fear Dying to the wrong things Denying the impact of the past on the present Dividing life into “secular” and “sacred” compartments Doing for God instead of being with God Spiritualizing away conflict Covering over brokenness, weakness, and failure Living without limits. Judging other people’s spiritual journey

The top 10 percent represents the ways we conduct ourselves and the changes we make that others can see.

Emotional health and spiritual maturity are inseparable.

It is not possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.

Using God to run from God

Ignoring anger, sadness, and fear

Dying to the wrong things

Denying the impact of the past on the present

Dividing life into “secular” and “sacred” compartments

Doing for God instead of being with God

Spiritualizing away conflict

Covering over brokenness, weakness, and failure

Living without limits.

Judging other people’s spiritual journey

“C. S. Lewis introduced the phrase “pain, the megaphone of God.” “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains,” he said; “it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” The word megaphone is apropos, because by its nature pain shouts. When I stub my toe or twist an ankle, pain loudly announces to my brain that something is wrong. Similarly, the existence of suffering on this earth is, I believe, a scream to all of us that something is wrong. It halts us in our tracks and forces us to consider other values.” - Philip Yancey, Where Is God When It Hurts

We are ready to listen

Healing, sovereign God, overmatch our resistant ears with your transforming speech. Penetrate our jadedness and fatigue. Touch our yearnings by your words. Through your out-loudness, draw us closer to you. We are ready to listen. Amen.

- Walter Brueggemann /July 9, 199

The Problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality

Welcome to Missio Dei Humboldt Park

New Series: Emotional Healthy Spirituality

1 Samuel 15

The LORD Rejects Saul

Emotional Unhealthy Spirituality

Top Ten Christian Responses to Emotional Unhealth

The Iceberg

Top Ten Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality

Closing Prayer