A Letter To A Friend
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 1:25 amDear Ron,
I just wanted to clear the air & let you know a few things. I feel as though I haven’t completely made myself clear so thought I would explain it in more detail in a letter. BTW: when was the last time you received a letter from someone???
I told you about the program I started online, you know the one like Celebrate Recovery & that I’m interested in making some changes in my life. Just like Celebrate Recovery it’s a fellowship where they have programs that you can do, music, chat, etc.. Well just like when I was going to Celebrate Recovery I have found it to be very helpful, have made new friends, & have really started to feel better about myself. Well today I’m sorry to say I didn’t feel so good about myself or the situation I was put in. You see I had asked that you respect my desire to avoid certain things & feel as though you did not. Even worse I feel as though you even went so far as to put me in a situation of temptation. I do NOT bring this up to make you feel bad or make you angry (more about that later). But rather to make you more aware of how I feel & help you respect my boundaries in the future. Please understand that in no way do I desire to dissolve our friendship but rather to make it stronger & possible even help you in the process.
One of the last studies I did was something we can both really relate to…Anger! In that study I have learned that, now hold on to your seat & don’t take it the wrong way because it applies to me, you, & everyone else on this planet, & that is that ANGER STEMS FROM SELFISHNESS & SELF-CENTEREDNESS. Think about it, I mean REALLY THINK ABOUT IT. When you ponder on this Truth I think you will find that it is true. When we get angry it’s because something did not go OUR way, WE didn’t get what WE wanted, or somebody or something hurt US. After all the entire universe is supposed to revolve around us right…WRONG!!! Since when & what makes us so important that everything should go our way. Besides we are the created NOT the creator. And this is where it gets a little sticky; it all goes back to Original Sin…ouch. Yeah, that’s a Truth that nobody likes, I know I didn’t. You see unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, GOD DID NOT MAKE US PUPPETS! I know everything could be perfect if He did but what kind of life would that be? It wouldn’t be because we would all be robots just going through the motions. No He gave us a choice, we can choose to serve Him or choose to ignore Him & pursue our own SELFISH desires (there’s that word again). Even when we choose to serve Him we still run into that sticky problem of Original Sin. But God being a God of Love provided a way out & that way out is thru His Son Jesus Christ! YEAH!!! THERE’S A WAY OUT! And it’s so easy; all we have to do is acknowledge that Jesus Christ IS The Son of God & that HE died for our sins by shedding His precious blood on the cross for the forgiveness of OUR sins. It’s just that easy. It’s a gift & all we have to do is except that gift & we are forgiven. Will we still be selfish; sure, will we still get angry; most likely. Hopefully though; as we grow in the knowledge of His will for us we will get better. We will still sin but now we’re forgiven. God doesn’t want us to be puppets on a string but He also does want us to live in constant pain & suffering either. God doesn’t provide us with a bunch of rule just so He can rule over us with an iron fist & delight in denying us those things of which we desire. On the contrary! He does it out of love knowing what is best for US & what will get US in trouble. Some things we may never understand this side of heaven; but that is where TRUST & FAITH comes in. I’m asking you to join me on the journey. If you choose not to that is your God given right. But if you don’t, I ask that you respect my wishes & only include me in those activities which do not include those things that I wish to avoid.
I just wanted to clear the air & let you know a few things. I feel as though I haven’t completely made myself clear so thought I would explain it in more detail in a letter. BTW: when was the last time you received a letter from someone???
I told you about the program I started online, you know the one like Celebrate Recovery & that I’m interested in making some changes in my life. Just like Celebrate Recovery it’s a fellowship where they have programs that you can do, music, chat, etc.. Well just like when I was going to Celebrate Recovery I have found it to be very helpful, have made new friends, & have really started to feel better about myself. Well today I’m sorry to say I didn’t feel so good about myself or the situation I was put in. You see I had asked that you respect my desire to avoid certain things & feel as though you did not. Even worse I feel as though you even went so far as to put me in a situation of temptation. I do NOT bring this up to make you feel bad or make you angry (more about that later). But rather to make you more aware of how I feel & help you respect my boundaries in the future. Please understand that in no way do I desire to dissolve our friendship but rather to make it stronger & possible even help you in the process.
One of the last studies I did was something we can both really relate to…Anger! In that study I have learned that, now hold on to your seat & don’t take it the wrong way because it applies to me, you, & everyone else on this planet, & that is that ANGER STEMS FROM SELFISHNESS & SELF-CENTEREDNESS. Think about it, I mean REALLY THINK ABOUT IT. When you ponder on this Truth I think you will find that it is true. When we get angry it’s because something did not go OUR way, WE didn’t get what WE wanted, or somebody or something hurt US. After all the entire universe is supposed to revolve around us right…WRONG!!! Since when & what makes us so important that everything should go our way. Besides we are the created NOT the creator. And this is where it gets a little sticky; it all goes back to Original Sin…ouch. Yeah, that’s a Truth that nobody likes, I know I didn’t. You see unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, GOD DID NOT MAKE US PUPPETS! I know everything could be perfect if He did but what kind of life would that be? It wouldn’t be because we would all be robots just going through the motions. No He gave us a choice, we can choose to serve Him or choose to ignore Him & pursue our own SELFISH desires (there’s that word again). Even when we choose to serve Him we still run into that sticky problem of Original Sin. But God being a God of Love provided a way out & that way out is thru His Son Jesus Christ! YEAH!!! THERE’S A WAY OUT! And it’s so easy; all we have to do is acknowledge that Jesus Christ IS The Son of God & that HE died for our sins by shedding His precious blood on the cross for the forgiveness of OUR sins. It’s just that easy. It’s a gift & all we have to do is except that gift & we are forgiven. Will we still be selfish; sure, will we still get angry; most likely. Hopefully though; as we grow in the knowledge of His will for us we will get better. We will still sin but now we’re forgiven. God doesn’t want us to be puppets on a string but He also does want us to live in constant pain & suffering either. God doesn’t provide us with a bunch of rule just so He can rule over us with an iron fist & delight in denying us those things of which we desire. On the contrary! He does it out of love knowing what is best for US & what will get US in trouble. Some things we may never understand this side of heaven; but that is where TRUST & FAITH comes in. I’m asking you to join me on the journey. If you choose not to that is your God given right. But if you don’t, I ask that you respect my wishes & only include me in those activities which do not include those things that I wish to avoid.