Recently a precious brother of mine started questioning his process and healing because his mentor fell. In shame he said, “Is my healing and process invalidated because I was listening to someone who was not walking out their counsel?” The answer is absolutely not. As my brother has walked out his healing with the Spirit, listening and obeying the Voice, he has been enriched and matured. The counsel he received was effective as he listened to the Spirit. My brother’s life has born huge fruit because the Spirit maintains what He directs.
But here is the problem, shame comes in many ways. It comes when we are acting shamefully, but also can happen when someone connected to us is in shame. Shame is contagious. It sends ripples out and has the potential to tempt others to be in shame. Shame is a dark cloud that has the potential to blot out the light of hope in those around us. So let me share an example of this.
When the Mighty Fall!
What happens when someone I look up to falls? Do I lose everything I received when someone whose opinion and counsel I value and trust stumbles in the very point of my weakness? Does their fall invalidate my own journey and path of healing and wholeness? The answer is no!
You may ask me, “How come?” Because ultimately our Source is God and it is the work of the Holy Spirit and not man that brings true healing. The Spirit is faithful to the messages He delivers. And while fallen man may be used by the Spirit to communicate His messages, man is simply a vessel not the Source.
If I have learned anything on my path and journey I know that the Spirit uses what He wants in order to bring forth His messages. He’s not relegated to the things that I deem as acceptable or religious. He is not contained like that. Sometimes His lessons might come from more broken or secular sources. But there is one point that defines it all, whose voice am I listening to.
Yes, God speaks. He is continually communicating with us. His voice is all around us and about us. Our God is the God who goes out into the highways and byways to bring us His message. He is passionate to communicate with us. Whether we are in a church service or a movie theater I have learned to ask: “What are You saying in this?!” And yes, He can even use Hollywood to communicate. The question is, will I hear and keep listening to everywhere He chooses to reveal Himself?
God Using Fallen and Fallible People
Let me give you an example of hearing God in unexpected places. As I think about all the mighty men in the Bible, one thing is glaringly clear, God is not limited by fallen humanity. He regularly uses broken vessels to speak His message. Actually outside of Jesus, He has none but fallen and fallible people. And He is still able to get His messages through them and move our hearts to Himself.
Look at little David. He learned lessons from his authority and leader who was living in active rebellion. Did Saul’s rebellion nullify David’s process or personal growth? Absolutely not! If anything Saul’s cruelty helped establish David’s character and trained David how not to be king and how to surrender to God’s authority even in corruption. David was made rich regardless because David followed and listened to his Shepherd. David’s Source was God not man.
So our journey isn’t invalidated by the fall of our leaders. Yes, it hurts and feels like betrayal but it does not destroy my path of healing and wholeness? I walk with the Spirit and listen to the Spirit as the Spirit wants to lead me. He can guide me in the many voices around me. His Voice is constantly speaking through these many voices calling out to me each day. My choice is to adhere to His Voice everywhere it is revealed and it is there I find safety.
We here, had just talked about how another’s shame tried to rob us. I came to this, ‘I will not throw away a chunk of my life & journey…what the Lord gave, HE GAVE.’ He talks to us, weaving His message to each hearts need. To walk listening to His Voice sends out reverberations…till the message isn’t just for one, & we have to let it be that also. He puts us in settings where He can say exactly what He wants to say. We take our place, & that message will speak! It will speak into our heart &… Read more »
Excellent post. If scripture is a hearty meal for the soul, then erudite debate on scripture is like a pleasant picnic with brothers and sisters. I’m thinking Ravi Zacharias or even Joshua Harris here, amongst others. Even to some extent Billy Graham and, way back, John Wesley in England. All these men and many more men and women have preached passionately and authoritatively on God, Jesus Christ, Salvation and the Gospel, and Jesus’ saving power. Yet none of them were perfect. God has to work thru imperfection outside of Jesus Christ or He wouldn’t work with or thru anyone! I… Read more »
This post is so aligned with where the Spirit has been challenging, chastening and really changing my heart and mind towards…everything. Just before reading this, I was in Col. 1:14-17 (CJB) and Paul reminds the Colossians that Jesus is “supreme” over all creation. Just in case they didn’t catch that little word, he goes on to iterate that “all” things were created in connection with Jesus and he specifies that “all” includes “thrones, lordships, rulers, authorities” — and finally that Jesus holds “everything” together. Everything. Wow. A friend responded to me that “‘Everything’ is everything!” This also lines up perfectly… Read more »
Paul let the Spirit lead…not the ‘problem’. And because this was true, he could address the problems in the church. He kept his eyes on the Spirit, & the Spirit was the Solver. And the LORD engaged Paul…in the middle of problems of every kind, & he followed the Life in it. He was IN CHRIST in it. It was a pressing through of love, authority & discernment in him, by the Spirit of Life in Christ…the only One in View. (1Cor. 2:2) “For I resolved to know nothing, to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the… Read more »
“What happens when someone I look up to falls? …Does their fall invalidate my own journey and path of healing and wholeness?”
Your example of David and Saul was great! When I first read this, I thought of little Samuel and the priest, Eli. Samuel harkened to the Voice of the Lord while Eli, though a man of God, put his sons on a pedestal—and thus became an idolater. All through the Old Testament, God gave us examples of obedience to authority while keeping Him above all.
What a relief that He sent Christ to redeem and Shepherd us!
Absolutely! Amazing point. Follow the Voice of our Lord is the true safety we can all experience. Thank you for commenting Leann!