It is sometimes difficult to see the truth in a given situation. It is even more difficult to see the truth if we are reeling from some pain connected with that situation. All human beings, Christians included, are plagued by the curse of a negative subjectivity that can be overwhelming at times. We may find it very hard to “see the forest for the trees” at such moments, especially when it feels like the tree in question is a Giant Redwood someone has chopped down in our heart.
We are told that the gift of God is a sound mind and part of having a sound mind is possessing a certain degree of objectivity in any circumstance we find ourselves facing. When we are thinking rightly, meaning from a truly biblical perspective, we have the ability to rise above the problems that confront us, even potentially very painful ones. Seeing things in spirit and in truth gives us the wisdom to react as Christ would, at least in principle. The problem is that many believers have not yet come to such a place of maturity, at least not many whom I have known and, truth be told I myself cannot number myself among them.
Moreover some of us often feel unduly oppressed, insulted or merely misunderstood because of both abusive trauma we have experienced during our formative years and our own bitter response to that trauma. For some of us the results of both this injury and response to injury have blended with genetic factors and coalesced into what the world calls “psycho-pathology”. These days we can give a name to feeling like our glass is half-empty. Depression and anxiety are two that the author is personally acquainted with.
For people like us regular transcendence of negative circumstances in our lives is more problematic than for most. Indeed we may come across as overly sensitive to some because adversities in life that are generally accepted as normal and manageable by others are magnified into deep crisis in our damaged hearts and minds. When this happens it is absolutely right to admit that we are not in our “right minds”. When we are in the throes of an attack of anxiety or a depressive episode we are almost never accurately “painting” reality. It is at times like these that people with a different, perhaps more objective perspective are desperately needed to speak into our lives. Whether such persons are loyal friends, pastors or counselors they are a Godsend because they can help restore to us the objectivity we need to avoid making a bad situation worse.
Compounding the challenges to people like us is the surrounding society’s increasing emphasis on feeling over reason in determining what is real. We are incessantly being told by our culture to “follow our hearts”. Well, that is all fine and good if our hearts can be trusted as safe and effective guides. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) the biblical Christian knows that the human heart is not the most trustworthy guide, rather Holy-Spirit inspired reason is. This is not to completely discount feelings, but feelings are subjective for all of us and especially so for those of us afflicted with emotional problems that we are still learning to handle in a responsible, Godly way.
In my own life I have taken comfort in realizing that when I’m not accurately seeing things as they really are I can seek help from Godly human beings and, for that matter directly from my merciful God Himself, to help me see the truth. Because of these divine resources I am slowly learning not to make bad decisions during times of circumstantial turmoil. As the grace of God continues to flow into my life I am learning that for every trouble I encounter the old adage, “this too will pass”, really does apply. I can trust that real emotional healing lies in my future at the hands of a Savior who always knows what is really going on in my life, and how to use it for His glory and my good.