Turn The World Right-Side-Up
Adam and Eve chose to submit to their own selfish wills rather than the will of God. By that one single decision, the entire world was turned upside-down. Opposite of how God had created it to be.. Two thousand years ago, God chose to enter this upside-down world in the form of a baby. He was given the name Jesus, which meant He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). His birth provided the only means to turn the world right-side-up. One person at a time, one day at a time.
Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary the term ” right-side-up:” Positioned in such a way that the upper and lower parts are in their usual or principal position, and not reversed;
First, Our Identity Must Be Turned Right-Side-Up
Author Peter Scazzero says, “t’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature. In his book Scazzero claims, “The vast majority of us go to our graves without knowing who we are.”
Our relationship with Jesus provides us a new identity. Our true identity. His identity! We are no longer merely a collection of messages the world has defined us by. The pain and shame of our past does not define us. Our true identity is found only in Jesus and who He says we are.
The lies internalized in our hearts through childhood shame and codependence are what gave rise to our “false identity.” God sets His chldren free from our shame-based identity. He has made a way for us to walk in our “true identity.” The one He uniquely knit together within each of us. This is being “right-side-up.”
“For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well”
psalm 139:13-14 nive
God’s Truth Lies Within The Paradox
Something about me has always had a need for deeper explanations, answers, reasons, and solutions for things. I’ve never been one to just accept things at face value. I don’t really think it’s an issue of trust, though. Maybe I just have an inborn hunger for details. Or possibly a compulsive need to solve things. Who knows?
Enigmas, mysteries, riddles, and anything that’s counterintuitive have always had a way of capturing my attention. But my very favorite – paradoxes.
The Important Things Don’t Come In Black-and-White
The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines “paradox” as a: “logically self-contradictory statement, or a statement that runs contrary to one’s expectation.” It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning, leads to a seemingly self-contradictory or a logically unacceptable conclusion. A paradox usually involves contradictory-yet-interrelated elements that exist simultaneously and persist over time.”
“Black- and-white” thinking tends to be a natural landing place for humans. Such as good vs. bad; right vs. wrong; true vs. false. The inherent nature of a paradox only adds to the confusion that many of us concrete thinkers already have when it comes to understanding God and His teachings. Further, internalized brokenness and shame from our past only heighten our demand for absolutes. Anything less arouses fear and insecurity within us, which quickly translates into some familiar pattern of control, compulsivity, or perfectionism.
In stark contrast, King Solomon, known in the Bible as “the wisest man who ever lived,” made this statement about what we might call “black and white.”
“Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.”
Ecclesiastes 7:18 NLT
From the perspective of paradox, we might deduce that the best and most important answers are neither black nor white. Paradox thinking draws us to a synthesis of both black and white. Our human minds cannot fully cmprehend or udnerstand this place in between. The space in the middle can only be navigated through faith, whereas the two opposite extremes that we feel able to predict or control. And this is what right-side-up is all about!
Online Counseling Will Help You Understand The Paradoxes Of God’s Word
Soul health and spiritual maturity cannot be separated. Our counselors are ordained Christian ministers as well as certified and licensed Christian counselors. We are able to help you experience freedom from shame, anxiety, depression, or marriage issues with methods that are purely Christ-centered. Please click on this link to learn much more about how our Christian counseling in Louisville, Kentucky can help you become a more authentic follower of Christ, and help you find freedom from identity dependence.https://lifetrainingcounseling.org/
Life Training offers convenient sessions at https://lifetrainingcounseling.org/depression-counseling/our office in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as online counseling via Zoom or FaceTime. Our non-profit counseling practice has had an outstanding track record from over a decade helping men and women, individuals and couples who are ready to move beyond anxiety, depression, and conflicts in marriage or other relationships find hope and healing in their lives. Contact us today at 502-717-5433, or by email at drdave@lifetrainingcounseling.org