rjlynam
Puritan Board Sophomore
I experienced an issue recently that left me very very unsettled. It was a letter I received from someone explaining their position on something in response to a position I had just enumerated to them. In addition to prayer, I took the following approach to dealing with it based on the following premise:
Premise:
"If we are believers, then we have the Holy Spirit in us. If we, who have the Holy Spirit within us, are unsettled by something, it most likely is the result of sin, either on our part, or someone elses.
Approach:
Because I was very unsettled by this letter, I went and looked for sin, first inwardly, then elsewhere. Well, to be honest, most of time the looking is outward first. I read and re-read the letter and asked myself "why does this leave such a burr in the saddle?" and "why is my position so much superior (if indeed it is) that it's worth making an issue of it?".
Next, I did what I like to think I always do, and that's to hold the conflicting sides up to the Law and look for violations.
If I find no violations in either position, then I ask myself, "Self, is this a problem of your own making?" to which, most of the time, the answer has been "Yes, it is", either because they looked at me wrong some time ago, I don't agree with them on such and such points elsewhere, etc., etc., ad nauseam. This is where most issues get settled and I find myself needing to repent of wrong motives on my part.
If, however, I find violations in the Law, either on my part or another's, then a need for reconciliation exists.
My question(s):
1. Is this a valid approach to addressing issues that unsettle me? And why or why not?
Premise:
"If we are believers, then we have the Holy Spirit in us. If we, who have the Holy Spirit within us, are unsettled by something, it most likely is the result of sin, either on our part, or someone elses.
Approach:
Because I was very unsettled by this letter, I went and looked for sin, first inwardly, then elsewhere. Well, to be honest, most of time the looking is outward first. I read and re-read the letter and asked myself "why does this leave such a burr in the saddle?" and "why is my position so much superior (if indeed it is) that it's worth making an issue of it?".
Next, I did what I like to think I always do, and that's to hold the conflicting sides up to the Law and look for violations.
If I find no violations in either position, then I ask myself, "Self, is this a problem of your own making?" to which, most of the time, the answer has been "Yes, it is", either because they looked at me wrong some time ago, I don't agree with them on such and such points elsewhere, etc., etc., ad nauseam. This is where most issues get settled and I find myself needing to repent of wrong motives on my part.
If, however, I find violations in the Law, either on my part or another's, then a need for reconciliation exists.
My question(s):
1. Is this a valid approach to addressing issues that unsettle me? And why or why not?