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The gift of disillusionment
The most comical illusion I have, the one that can actually make me laugh out loud says, "if you're going to waste your time shattering illusions during times of contemplation, then I'm going to have nothing to do with you!"
Unrelenting, for me is the illusion that says, "Go ahead, you deserve it (it = my latest 'craving'.) Compare yourself to others. They still have more than you." Of course, the key is to always compare 'up,' never 'down.'
One of the most common illusion I've seen at work in churches is "if we don't do _______________ (fill in the blank), we'll shrink and die." The illusion is that we could know what will happen and that it will always end in the worst case scenario. Then there's the notion that keeping the institution alive is the same as being the body of Christ in the world.
If you're willing to share:
What illusions are your greatest struggles?
What illusions (destructive or not) seem to have the most support and power in the church?
By the grace of God, may we all become dis-illusioned and empowered to confront reality face-to-face.
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ReplyDelete"If I can just get through this week, I will do everything perfect next week."
ReplyDeleteMost of mine are the usual:
ReplyDeleteIf I leave just a few minutes after the last minute, I won't be late...
If I work out, I can eat whatever I want...
Diet Coke may be one of the unhealthiest drinks man ever created, but it won't hurt me...
It seems to me that Palmer invites us to go deeper into this illusion thing - to the illusions that are destructive to others...
Like - my lifestyle has nothing to do with the world's poverty...
Just because I eat red meat doesn't mean that more people will starve to death today...
My excessive use of the world's energy doesn't contribute to the devastation of entire people's habitats...
It's really too painful to think about.
Then there are the illusions I think I should hold onto more dearly rather than letting cynicism strip them away... such as:
I can make others' lives better by changing just a few things in my own...
Malaria, AIDS, TB, poverty, hunger, war - all those things can be eliminated if all of us believe enough to contribute to their demise...
...and so on...
Lord, have mercy...
My illusion is that I have to rescue a member of my family, regardless of the circumstances.
ReplyDelete