"God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”--Luke 4:18(MSG)
*** Spoiler Alert ***
If you are squeamish, proceed with caution before you read any further...
Years ago I was an in-home child and family therapist. I worked with "at-risk" families in which the children in the home were at imminent of risk of placement due to abuse or neglect. Needless to say, I observed many different home environments and family dynamics. There was little that would surprise me--until I visited one home in particular...
This home was full of vermin (bugs). They were everywhere! And I do mean everywhere. Even the walls seemed to be moving. The bugs were coming out of cabinets, the toaster, and dropping from the ceiling. I was startled by the family's indifference. They family were unabashed. I had never witnessed bugs on this level. As far as I could see, there was not one place in the home where there was not movement. I was taken aback by the family's adjustment to such an unsafe and unhealthy environment. I remember saying to the parent with heart-felt empathy, "You. Deserve. Better. You and your family are entitled to better. We will work to get an exterminator to come out to your home immediately."
The family had gotten so use to sharing their home with bugs, it took an outsider (me) to say, "Hey...this is not okay. This is not good for you. You do not have to live like this."
This may seem like an extreme account, but how many of us are dealing with vermin on a soul level? How many have adjusted and adapted to things plaguing our souls that we have been given the authority, power, and ability to "spiritually exterminate"?(Acts 1:8)
If this sharing resonates with you, that's a good thing! It means God is bringing an awareness because he wants you free indeed (John 8:36). God desires that we live a life of satisfaction, abundant joy, and peace (John 10:10). God wants us to prosper, succeed, and be well in our souls (3 John 2). He wants us to be liberated and free; this is why Jesus died on the cross for our sins. The shed blood of Jesus brings salvation, redemption, healing, wholeness, and wellness. We are reconciled with the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18). We are children of the Most High God (Psalm 82:6). We are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9). Living a life of acceptance that is self-abasing is not God's desire for any of his children.
This is not a motivational speech--although I pray you are motivated by the Word of God, which is alive and powerful enough to bring radical change to our lives (Hebrews 4:12). Perhaps you have been in a place of soul stagnation and "spiritual infestation" for so long, you have come to a place of accepting, adjusting, or even ignoring the "bugs" simply to survive. Good News! We do not have to accept low-level living, thinking, and behaviors that bring detriment to our souls. All we have to do is believe by faith that God has enabled us to get the spiritual bugs out of our lives.
***A special thanks to Flickr.com/photos and www.insightpestsolutions.com
for the use this image***
