Intellectuelle

Kristine,thanks so much for posting that. Was that Joyce Meyer? I'm SO TIRED of women being asked to focus inward on their so-called wounds. This sort of examination creates a self-centerd, not a Christ-centered view of life. I don't need encouragement, I don't need to have better self-esteem, I don't want to focus on me.

I think that whoever wrote this sees a valid need but it's too bad that both the proposed explanation and solution are so faulty.

Surely we all carry wounds of some type; it’s pretty unavoidable in this world. The difference between wounds and sin in our hearts is that sin is ours, yet not all of our wounds are a result of our own sin.

I think the second paragraph is good; we do need to acknowledge hurts and deal with them in a healthy way. But Satan doesn’t “send” wounds. God allows Satan to wound us (see Job). We then either allow the wounds to defeat us, or trust God to work them for good.

Satan lies to us. He tells us that mistreatment or “bad” things happen to us because we are “ugly, unworthy, dirty, unwanted, hopeless, or small.” (Or, that we're not at fault when we really are :-) ) But it's not that we ought not “let him force [us] to 'settle' for less than the best we know we can give in our lives," but that we trust and believe that we are who God says He’s made us, in Him, through Christ.

Kristine,

As a man, I'm disappointed when a topic that is universal, is put forward as a gender specific topic. Any further statements post the inference that the topic is gender specific, thereafter ellaborates on and only further displays the agenda, even if unknown, of creating a victim or of victimhood.

Everyone carries the burden of their past, self-inflicted or not, pain and the memory of pain persists for a reason. Paul states that iron sharpens iron, and that struggles are for our benefit, and growth. It is a failure of growth to allow our past to dictate our future, however it is foolish to rely on our ability to discern the truth of our situation.

We all see through a glass darkly, none of us having perfect vision of our circumstances. Only through the grace of God, and inworking of the Holy Spirit can we discern the righteous use of our pain.

The post in question from which I quoted does have a distinct Joyce Meyerish ring to it, but it wasn't written by Meyer. I pulled it off another group blog to which I contribute devotional material, called "Inner Fulfillment."

I was likewise disappointed with the author's somewhat pedestrian, self-centered and rather simplistic approach to what is often a complex topic with many shades of gray. I concur that the proposed explanation and solution are faulty.

Eric, I appreciate your comments. I agree that this topic is not gender specific, altho it was posted in a blog that is. The subject is indeed universal, and as old a Job.

I humbly accept your correction, and withdraw my critisism, concerning the feminist agenda.

I sincerely appreciate and enjoy your blog, and find it very informative and instructive. Hearing about the Christian issues faced by women, helps me understand and develop my attitude and interpretation of how women's theological distinctions and attitudes.

I apologize if my comments didn't reflect my respect and appreciation.

Eric, I just wanted to thank you for your comment. What you are illustrating in tandem with what we are doing on this blog is my dream and vision for this blog and for male-female relations in general.

Eric,

No harm, no foul. :)

God bless you.