What I read this morning:
" The Christian life can really be boiled down to two words: trust and obey. I must always entrust the things that are out of my control to God (Circle of Concern), and I must always be faithful to obey His clear and specific commands (Circle of Responsibility). - Paul Tripp From Pg 255 of Instruments in the Redeemers Hands..[1]
“Because sin is deceitful and fallen people are so naturally blind to uses of self, data gathering must always pursue two goals. First, the process must give the counselor the information needed to provide wise biblical counseling but an even more fundamental purpose is that we would be the Messiah’s instruments to open the eyes that have been blind for too long”. Pg 277 Instruments in the Redeemers Hands
“Our goal is not only to expose the darkness that exists in relationships and situations but the darkness of the heart, so that the gospel can be applied”. Pg 278. Instruments in the Redeemers Hand
“ I want to help counselees see themselves in the mirror of God’s word I will ask questions that they would never ask and probe in places they would not know to probe”. Pg 278. Instruments in the Redeemers Hands
Pray. Plan. Prepare. Pursue. Perspire. Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard! Give it all you've got today, and then make it a habit! -Bishop Dale C. Bronner
Facts about Spiritual Blindness from Paul’s Tripp:
- A fundamental part of being spiritually blind is that you are blind to your blindness... Pg292
- Spiritual blindness is the condition of every sinner, every counselee. Pg 292
- Spiritual blindness is deceptive because it masquerades as other things.
- Manna falling from heaven became to the Israelites because they were not focusing in the covenant love it’s provision represented, but on it’s taster as compared to the menu of Egypt”. Page 282
- If you really want to understand what is important to a person, find out where he feels needy. Values become desires, desires become demands, and demands get expressed in counseling as “needs”. Page 281.
- Another scriptural term for the spiritually blind is “fools”. Page 282
How this impacted me?
Do I come to situations with silent demands and respond with anger when my needs are ignored? I need to remember that I cannot hold people responsible for unwritten or unspoken expectations.
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