In author Terry Brooks’s Shannara series, talismans of power are sought and used in the battle of good against evil. One such talisman is a sword.
In order for the wielder of the sword to tap into the power needed to defeat evil, he must first come face to face with the truth about the less desirable qualities of his character and have the courage to accept it. If he is unable to do so, he will perish in the battle.
Ultimately it is the unique ability of the sword of Shannara to present truth, stripped bare of all pretense, that defeats evil and restores order in the world.
To be human is to be flawed. Within each of us lies such a complexity of contradictions, an ever-swirling, changing pot of traits, quirks, dysfunctions, emotions and conscious thought that it’s hard to divorce fact from fiction, good from bad and to accept the unique blend of humanity we each are.
While we strive for perfection, we will always fall short for to be human is to be flawed.
At times I find that the more I try to be like Jesus, who is without sin, the harder it is for me to admit to the evil twin within me who is petty, resentful, covetous, dishonest, arrogant, proud, vain, bitter, greedy, angry, lazy, selfish, weak, craven…
…and yet, she is very much a part of me, alive and healthy.
Oftentimes my first instinct is to deny her existence, or to condemn and suppress her existence. Interestingly, that’s when her hold over my life becomes stronger as I am filled with either blistering anger or self-loathing.
Until I remove the fig leaf of guilt and shame and accept the truth about myself in all its unvarnished, naked glory, I tend to build walls between myself and the Father’s love and remove myself from His presence.
I take to dwelling in darkness, conquered by its blinding distortions. Like Niki Sanders in Heroes, I am imprisoned by my evil alter ego.
It takes the very humbling act of accepting my flaws, and the fractured world around me, to bring me out of the shadowy depths.
And a soupçon of courage to dive, au naturel, into the ocean of the Father’s loving compassion and mercy. To emerge cleansed and refreshed, ready to set off in a new direction.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9, “he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’"
So if you seek to be made perfect, indulge in some spiritual skinny dipping from time to time in His sea of love.
In order for the wielder of the sword to tap into the power needed to defeat evil, he must first come face to face with the truth about the less desirable qualities of his character and have the courage to accept it. If he is unable to do so, he will perish in the battle.
Ultimately it is the unique ability of the sword of Shannara to present truth, stripped bare of all pretense, that defeats evil and restores order in the world.
To be human is to be flawed. Within each of us lies such a complexity of contradictions, an ever-swirling, changing pot of traits, quirks, dysfunctions, emotions and conscious thought that it’s hard to divorce fact from fiction, good from bad and to accept the unique blend of humanity we each are.
While we strive for perfection, we will always fall short for to be human is to be flawed.
At times I find that the more I try to be like Jesus, who is without sin, the harder it is for me to admit to the evil twin within me who is petty, resentful, covetous, dishonest, arrogant, proud, vain, bitter, greedy, angry, lazy, selfish, weak, craven…
…and yet, she is very much a part of me, alive and healthy.
Oftentimes my first instinct is to deny her existence, or to condemn and suppress her existence. Interestingly, that’s when her hold over my life becomes stronger as I am filled with either blistering anger or self-loathing.
Until I remove the fig leaf of guilt and shame and accept the truth about myself in all its unvarnished, naked glory, I tend to build walls between myself and the Father’s love and remove myself from His presence.
I take to dwelling in darkness, conquered by its blinding distortions. Like Niki Sanders in Heroes, I am imprisoned by my evil alter ego.
It takes the very humbling act of accepting my flaws, and the fractured world around me, to bring me out of the shadowy depths.
And a soupçon of courage to dive, au naturel, into the ocean of the Father’s loving compassion and mercy. To emerge cleansed and refreshed, ready to set off in a new direction.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9, “he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’"
So if you seek to be made perfect, indulge in some spiritual skinny dipping from time to time in His sea of love.
No comments:
Post a Comment