Comments on: The Value of Garbage is Still Zero (Part 3) http://www.desirespiritualgrowth.com/the-value-of-garbage-is-still-zero-part-3/ Passionately pursuing intimacy with God in Christ Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:05:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Ruth http://www.desirespiritualgrowth.com/the-value-of-garbage-is-still-zero-part-3/#comment-80 Ruth Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:28:29 +0000 http://desirespiritualgrowth.com/?p=214#comment-80 Yes, face-to-face relationships are definitely preferable for many reasons!! Thank you so much for praying for me in this matter; it's one of the many areas in which I need guidance right now. The simplest answer to your question is "no, not right now." The church I grew up in closed; I heartily miss it, but the memories are special. After being in a very personal, unique church, I was surprised to be ushered into circles in which "church" didn't look very different from the world and where fellowship with "church people" distracts me from focusing on God as much as interaction with other people. Seeking an assembly of believers has been an odd combination of learning not to judge others' spiritual walk, desiring an authentic group of people to help me in this healing/growing process, and wanting to belong but remembering to look for where God wants me to be, not where I want to be. It's been a bumpy road... Thank you for your prayers! Yes, face-to-face relationships are definitely preferable for many reasons!! Thank you so much for praying for me in this matter; it’s one of the many areas in which I need guidance right now. The simplest answer to your question is “no, not right now.” The church I grew up in closed; I heartily miss it, but the memories are special. After being in a very personal, unique church, I was surprised to be ushered into circles in which “church” didn’t look very different from the world and where fellowship with “church people” distracts me from focusing on God as much as interaction with other people. Seeking an assembly of believers has been an odd combination of learning not to judge others’ spiritual walk, desiring an authentic group of people to help me in this healing/growing process, and wanting to belong but remembering to look for where God wants me to be, not where I want to be. It’s been a bumpy road… Thank you for your prayers!

]]> By: Daniel http://www.desirespiritualgrowth.com/the-value-of-garbage-is-still-zero-part-3/#comment-79 Daniel Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:24:25 +0000 http://desirespiritualgrowth.com/?p=214#comment-79 Ruth, The issue of online accountability vs. in-person accountability and fellowship is important. We'd probably all agree that in-person, face-to-face relationships are preferable, but not always possible. Having walked where you walk, I can sympathize with you (and will before His throne in prayer for you), and can appreciate the work God is doing in your life with the online community. Do you have a church that you attend? Ruth,
The issue of online accountability vs. in-person accountability and fellowship is important. We’d probably all agree that in-person, face-to-face relationships are preferable, but not always possible. Having walked where you walk, I can sympathize with you (and will before His throne in prayer for you), and can appreciate the work God is doing in your life with the online community.
Do you have a church that you attend?

]]> By: Ruth http://www.desirespiritualgrowth.com/the-value-of-garbage-is-still-zero-part-3/#comment-78 Ruth Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:55:22 +0000 http://desirespiritualgrowth.com/?p=214#comment-78 Hey Daniel, Thanks for this careful discussion guided by God's Word. As I study Scripture more, searching for understanding and wisdom to APPLY what I learn, it is very helpful to use these types of posts as direction for Bible study and soul searching. Writing/reading has been something I personally question as not being unlawful but perhaps unprofitable for my relationship with God for two reasons: (1) I love to read and can easily fall into reading for pleasure or for a momentary intellectual exercise rather than using it as a way to enrich my soul and actually seek CHANGE within myself and (2) my focus in college, career, and free time is writing, and sometimes it can be a distraction or a source of pride. I continue to question this and try to balance how much time I devote to these activities and how I use them in my life. According to my current understanding through prayer and study, reading, with seeking God in mind, is very helpful because as you remind us here, seeking wise counsel is one way in which we can grow closer in our walk with Christ. Writing is a way for me to explore my own thoughts and make them coherent as well as a way for me to give back a gift that God gave me, which I have not always used for His glory. Since so many of your comments here remind me of God's truth and help me see it more clearly, I won't go into them all, but one of these that stood out to me most is this: "Only humility paired with faith will lead us to this straight path found on the stones of surrender that break the heart of its arrogant attempts to trust its own vision." And, of course, the points with which you open and close this post are what seeking God hinges on: crying to God "Thy will be done" and making space for that to happen. Well brought together point! As circumstances in my life have changed and as most of the brothers and sisters in Christ whom I knew in college or elsewhere have drifted out of my life, much of my counsel and fellowship with the Body happens on-line. I am constantly wondering what I should do about that and asking God to lead me in this, but in the mean time, He has introduced to me some very special brothers and sisters to consult with and learn from. Thanks for being one of those. Hey Daniel,

Thanks for this careful discussion guided by God’s Word. As I study Scripture more, searching for understanding and wisdom to APPLY what I learn, it is very helpful to use these types of posts as direction for Bible study and soul searching. Writing/reading has been something I personally question as not being unlawful but perhaps unprofitable for my relationship with God for two reasons: (1) I love to read and can easily fall into reading for pleasure or for a momentary intellectual exercise rather than using it as a way to enrich my soul and actually seek CHANGE within myself and (2) my focus in college, career, and free time is writing, and sometimes it can be a distraction or a source of pride. I continue to question this and try to balance how much time I devote to these activities and how I use them in my life. According to my current understanding through prayer and study, reading, with seeking God in mind, is very helpful because as you remind us here, seeking wise counsel is one way in which we can grow closer in our walk with Christ. Writing is a way for me to explore my own thoughts and make them coherent as well as a way for me to give back a gift that God gave me, which I have not always used for His glory.

Since so many of your comments here remind me of God’s truth and help me see it more clearly, I won’t go into them all, but one of these that stood out to me most is this: “Only humility paired with faith will lead us to this straight path found on the stones of surrender that break the heart of its arrogant attempts to trust its own vision.” And, of course, the points with which you open and close this post are what seeking God hinges on: crying to God “Thy will be done” and making space for that to happen. Well brought together point!

As circumstances in my life have changed and as most of the brothers and sisters in Christ whom I knew in college or elsewhere have drifted out of my life, much of my counsel and fellowship with the Body happens on-line. I am constantly wondering what I should do about that and asking God to lead me in this, but in the mean time, He has introduced to me some very special brothers and sisters to consult with and learn from. Thanks for being one of those.

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