Website owner: James Miller
Three types of spiritual discrepancies can be a source of
emotional problems:
1. Discrepancies between "what we are" and "what we feel we
ought to be".
2. Discrepancies between "what we feel we ought to be" and
"what we really ought to be" (i.e. between "what we think
is right" and "what is really right").
3. Discrepancies between "what we think we are" and "what we
really are" (i.e. discrepancies between "what we think we
are , tell ourselves we are, or pretend to be and "what we
really are")
1. Discrepancies between "what we are" and "what we feel we
ought to be". What causes discrepancies between "what we
are" and "what we feel we ought to be"? These discrepancies
arise from not following the light God has given us; from
not following that which, way down deep in our heart (often
on a remote, obscure semiconscious or subconscious level), we
believe in, believe to be right; they arise from not being
true to ourselves, not following our conscience, not living
up to our real beliefs and standards. What causes us not to
be true to our own selves and standards? Weakness.
Cowardice. Fear. (fear of what people will say, fear of
being ridiculed and laughed at, fear of making enemies, fear
that doing right might cost us our jobs, friends, etc.).
What are the psychological effects of these types of
spiritual discrepancies (not being true to ourselves and
conscience)? Loss of self-esteem. Lack of confidence.
Living in fear and cowardice. Shame.
2. Discrepancies between "what we feel we ought to be" and
"what we really ought to be". What is the cause of
discrepancies between "what we feel we ought to be" and "what
we really ought to be" (i.e. discrepancies between "what we
think is right" and "what is really right")? In these kinds
of discrepancies our feelings and beliefs on "what is right"
are in error. This can arise from bad spiritual guidance
from a church or religious denomination, for example. The
teachings may represent a distorted, perverted version of
Christianity. Without realizing it we may be holding beliefs
and sentiments that are really in conflict with biblical
principles and teachings.
What are the psychological effects of these types of
discrepancies? Unhappiness, confusion and frustration. Even
though a person may not realize he is sinning he is still
sinning. And sin has its price.
3. Discrepancies between "what we think we are" and "what we
really are". There is a proverb "He that fools others ends up
fooling himself" and it makes an important point. A person
who is committed to putting up false fronts, who pretends to
be what he is not, who lives by fooling and deceiving others,
usually ends up totally deceiving himself. What a person
thinks he is and what he really is can be two very different
things. He who lies to others ends up lying to himself; he
who deceives and dupes others ends up deceiving and duping
himself; he who is dishonest with others usually ends up
being dishonest with himself. It is a trap religious people
often fall into. They affect feelings they don't really
have, spout and parrot doctrine and cant that gives false
impressions to others, and end up totally deceiving
themselves. It is called hypocrisy (the sin Christ got so
upset about). It comes about from emphasizing superficial
things such as ceremony, rituals, cut-and-dried formulas as a
way to salvation, dry doctrine, appearance, etc. as being
important rather than "what you are", "the condition and
attitudes of the heart" as what is important.
What type of psychological problems do these kinds of errors
lead to? Confusion, frustration and unhappiness.
Nov 1977
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