“Parts of you seem well-inhabited by God. The rest of you seems practically pagan. . . . How can these parts exist in the same human being? Because we are like stained glass — beautiful even in our brokenness, but made up of many fragments.”- John Eldredge
“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”- Romans 7:15 (ESV)
“Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”- Psalm 86:11 (NIV)
John Eldredge concludes Chapter 6 of Resilient as he underscores the need to show kindness and mercy when these unconverted parts of you suddenly show up. As a result, John notes, these parts need to be united with Christ. Because we dearly need the resilience that holiness provides.
Consequently, John describes four steps to utterly convert those unconverted parts of you.
Step 1: Don’t run, don’t hide. Like Adam and Ever, its instinctive to put a ‘fig leaf’ over those exposed, unconverted parts. But that fails to help. Instead, the author exhorts, stay with the exposure. Because you need Christ right there with you.
Step 2: Enter the unconverted place. Go there, feel it, and open it to the light of day. So, walk right into it – it’s part of you. Certainly, you desire to open the door of this fragment to Christ. Above all, that door opens from the inside.
Step 3: Ask Jesus to ‘save you here’. This moves beyond merely apologizing and promising to do better in the future. Here you seek to unite this unconverted part of you with Jesus Christ. Hence, you’re able to receive re-creation in Jesus’ care.
Step 4: Then pause. And as you pause, ask Jesus what you need to release, how to cooperate with Him. Most significantly, when Satan attacks such spiritual piercing requires heavenly power to cut it off. No greater power exists in the universe than the love of God.
Today’s question: How are you like stained glass, beautiful in your brokenness? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “False relief – Satan’s lure”
