...Be of Sin The Double Cure

The inverted life is not one where you can simply and easily purge all worldly influences in one fell swoop. A few months ago, I lost track of that fact. I fell away from God in anger, sin, and fear, and forgot that trusting him means more than what I thought it did.

For five months after my second trip, some of my worst habits seemed to vanish, and I thought I was free from their influences. But then I had a relapse of my illness.

The inverted life is not about being perfect before you come to God. It's also not about cleaning up your life before God can put your talents to use in the Kingdom.

I have had that problem, thinking I had to clean up my life before I could offer it fully to God. Jesus says: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:12-13) So, at the end of those five months of freedom I slipped back into all my bad habits. Then I became bitter at myself. What had I done wrong? Another question might have gone through my mind at that time also: what had God done wrong?

I have to admit that I am still sick. I don't have to revel in this, or boast in it, or wallow in it. But I have to admit that I'm still stuck with a spiritual disease that could've been terminal: sin. And then I have to go back to the spiritual "doctor" to get it diagnosed.

The injured and the sick need a doctor, but after the diagnosis comes the cure. That's where I had a problem: many cures require extensive therapy. In America, our worst disorders include cancer, obesity, arthritis, hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and other disorders that can be treated early and even prevented. If left unchecked, the progression of some of these can be debilitating, or worse--terminal. The blame should not fall on the doctor if the patient refuses treatment. So I cannot blame God for what went wrong.

Many treatment plans require a change in lifestyle, not just simple pill-popping. As in medical cases, spiritual lifestyle changes require discipline (Hebrews 12:4-11).

Returning home from last week's trip to Louisiana, I was reminded of this by John McGuire. Maybe there will be some posts from that trip soon. I'll have to get my thoughts collected first.

As for my treatment regimen, this isn't something that a single post on a blog will cure. It takes more than that, and it sometimes takes outside help. Would anybody like to join me?

P.S. The Inverted Life now has music. The tracks range from the inspirational to the conventional. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!