This summer brought a few series to our group I want to attempt to summarize here – not all at once.  I think the idea of us gathering our collective thoughts and sharing what we learned (or at least needed to learn) is very healthy for our group.  So as you read this blog, there is an innate challenge: to read, think, and respond with a comment so others can see your thoughts.

The End of Me series was loosely based on the book of the same title by Kyle Idleman.  He is absolutely one of my favorite authors, but admittedly, I struggle reading even his books.  Not because they aren’t good or applicable, but because every time I sit down to read, I think to myself how many other things I could be “doing”.  So, my new solution is listen to books when I’m in the car.  My account with Audible has really helped my reading life a lot!

We tackled several concepts over the summer on Thursday nights from this series, but I want to focus on just a couple – Broken to be made Whole and Authentic to be Accepted. All of the concepts in the series seem oxymoronic.  How can something broken be made whole? I understand once something is broken it can be repaired to a usable state, but it can’t ever be like it was before being broken.  If you had that thought run through your mind, you’re right! Nothing broken can ever be made exactly like it was, but in the economy of the cross, it’s not supposed to be like it was – He makes it even better! Honestly though, it doesn’t make sense.  How can I be broken and be made whole at the same time?  To find the answer, you have to understand the definitions of “broken” and “whole”. Broken refers to my realization I have nothing of value to offer anyone.  I’m completely bankrupt! I am incapable of fixing myself.  I can try self help books and podcasts, I can go to the gym twice a day, I can learn to play golf or sing or play an instrument, I can get a degree – or another one, but I can’t fix the most basic problem in my life.  The problem simply stated is no matter what I do or what I achieve, I can’t be satisfied.  I still find myself wanting more of everything – money, fun, happiness, adventure, relationships, friends, likes, etc.  But in true Jesus fashion, He swoops in with this thought – maybe getting MORE of all these things isn’t really what I need. Maybe I need less of all this stuff, and MORE of Him.  When I’m bankrupt – totally incapable of anything worthwhile in life, then I find He can begin to piece me back together in a way I never imagined possible. He gives more value to my brokenness than I could ever amass in my “togetherness”.

The second thought from the series is one that wrecked me personally – Authentic to be Accepted.  The struggle for acceptance is something all of us deal with – most of us deal with it every single day. I am admittedly a pat-on-the-back-aholic. We all want to be liked by whatever group we are with at the moment.  If I’m at work, I want them to like and accept me.  If I’m at school, I want them to like and accept me.  If I’m at church, I want them to like and accept me.  If I’m playing ball, singing or acting, volunteering, or bowling in my off-hand, blindfolded league, I want them to like and accept me! We can’t escape the pressure of wanting to be “one of the guys” or “one of the girls”.  The problem with trying to fit into all these groups is they eventually overlap.  The work me and the social life me can’t exist together some days.  The church me and the bowling league me fight for time on Thursday nights.  Because of this struggle, most of us try the balancing act.  We schedule things very carefully, and try to never let the different ME’s meet.  Wearing all these different masks gets really confusing over time.  I struggle to keep the right mask on at the right place with the right people, and eventually we fail.  We can’t keep up the masquerade for long.  So the challenge in this oxymoron is simple – Am I willing to be authentic in order to be accepted by only One who really matters?  The truth in this is powerful and liberating – If I stop struggling to fit in with everyone and everything, then Jesus can show me He is enough. When I am willing to be authentic – show the real me – He takes me just as I am. No pretenses, no show, no act, no masks, just the real me, who He loves more than anything I can imagine!  Whew – trying to keep up the act for everyone is exhausting! It feels incredible to lay down the weight of that burden – try it for yourself!

Me – you gotta go! Join me on the journey through recovery from being a “ME” addict.

WG