In Chapter 6 (“Denial- If I Ignore It, Maybe It Will Go Away”) of AHA, Kyle Idleman references a recent news magazine show that featured a reporter, black light in hand, walking into hotel rooms to illuminate hidden germs and stains. When the black light revealed a suspiciously large carpet stain in one such room, the woman guest yelled, “Turn that off!”
Another word for this phenomenon, Pastor Idleman notes, is denial. Turning the hotel room lights back on didn’t change the fact that the large carpet stain still was there. When an uncomfortable reality confronts us, one choice is to continue living in a false reality. Despite overwhelming evidence that we must deal with our adversity, we choose continued denial. Our response remains “Turn that off!”
After King David lusted for Bathsheba, he had several opportunities to be brutally honest about his feelings. Yet his repeated denials ultimately led to murder. Jim Collins studied business executives who went wrong. Mr. Collins explains how people get drawn into activities they later regret:
“When you are at step A, it seems almost inconceivable to jump all the way to step Z. Step Z involves something that is a total breach of your values. But if you go from step A to step B to step C then to step D, someday you will wake up and discover that your are at step Y and then the move to step Z becomes that much easier.”
Today’s question: Following your ministry downsizing or vocation loss, what steps have you taken that conflict with your faith? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Living in the pigpen”
