Advent 8 Time for a Tune-up

[HKHaugan]

“We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ (2Cor.10:5 The Message).”

Regardless of where a person is in mind, heart and spirit there are coping methods individuals use for self-protection. Self-protection is a product of sin. It arises out of the need to adjust to the world around us based on the fear of not knowing how we will be received. In essence Paul calls them strongholds. Strongholds are like electrified fences the heart sets on its perimeter to avoid pain, hurt, turmoil and rejection.

From outside of us comes a daily bombardment of ideas, feelings, spirits, attitudes and opinions pressuring us for momentary responses. The strongholds we build are empowered by our fear that we might come up short in those responses. We don't want to appear as unintelligent or unfeeling so we build the kind of heart devices that avoid unpleasantness but at the same time make us look good. That's what strongholds are all about. They are our personal creation. They govern how we relate to the world of people around us. Outside of God they are the product of sin, the spiritual disease infecting us with self-centered defense and self directed response.

Strongholds arise from self-deceit, that we can control what is happening around us if we keep the electric fence in front of us. The problem of strongholds is that they consume a lot of time and energy not only to construct but even more to maintain.

The why is simple.

For the heart no new moment is ever the same as any previous moment. Every moment presents a new challenge, a new set of circumstances where, even though they may appear similar or familiar, the blend of time, emotion and attitude is never the same. The outside pressure is always there and the inside pressure to adjust is always there. The problem is that the longer you tread this path the more alone you feel. Herein a cycle sets itself in motion, the cycle to adjust and that adjustment process is where our weaknesses invite false powers of security to take advantage of our aloneness; spirits of lust, greed, distrust, anger, self-pity and control to name a few. These are what build the walls of strongholds and we need to clear the way of them to fulfill our destiny as personal images of God.

It is the adjustment process that eventually runs us out of steam and depression, frustration and withdrawal are the result. Strongholds break down. They demand resources that we don't have outside of God. Because we are an image of God our real need is truth for the mind, trust for the heart and faith for the spirit. Most of the time you have to adjust spontaneously. There is no time to wait and ponder. This is why the Bible repeatedly refers to God as our stronghold and our fortress. He is the only stronghold we need. But we have to be honest and face that we have tones we have built in all shapes and forms and that they block the heart's openness when it comes to spontaneous action that every moment requires. The Lord God has made us for spontaneity response and spontaneity takes faith in the One who was nature was to act spontaneously.

Let's take a few examples of the3 need for trained spontaneity. You are in an orchestra. You have rehearsed your part and it is a solo piece in the middle of a symphony. But now the curtain rises and the audience sits poised and waiting. The conductor waves the baton, the music plays and then it’s your turn. You may have played it before many times but each performance is in a different place with a different crowd. You have to be on your toes. Every moment is a new moment. It’s up to you alone to adjust to it. You pray that your part flows.

You are a quarterback and the game is on the line. You’ve been playing for ten years and know the game. You can read defenses and have a feel for where your players are and are going to be but every game is different. Positions change, the field is wet as opposed to dry. Your receiver just had an argument with the coach. The center’s mother died last night. Your wife announced you’re going to be a father for the first time. The media just gave you bad reviews for your last game. Nothing is ever the same except the uncertainty of every new moment. It’s up to you alone to adjust to it. You pray you'll preparation will pay off.

You husband just lost his job, a trusted employee has been pilfering you inventory, a man falls to the ground in front of you and he's in pain, you ran into someone who needs immediate help with a child, someone you know opens up an unexpected problem about his marriage while you are on the way to an appointment, someone sideswipes you as they are parking at the supermarket, someone breaks in line in front of you and on and on.

Whether you are a husband, wife, brother, sister, parent, friend or even an enemy, every next moment is subject to the pressure of choice, decision and action. It’s up to you alone to adjust to it. The basis for thinking, choosing and acting determines your adjustment. Because the whole process is invisible it is spiritual. The question is are we spiritually ready, prepared, looking forward confidently to see the Lord wherever we are.

This is Advent, the spiritual tune-up time for the mind, heart and spirit “…fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.”