Marty Bennett
Excerpt from Message ‘Effective ways to cope without Jesus’
We pay good money to watch good stories. We read great stories and pay attention when good stories are told. But how many of us actually get around to living good stories?
Each one of us has been created by God and placed into his story. If you are going to realize the potential greatness of the story you’re actually in, then you are going to have to learn to deal with conflict. Conflict is a state of opposition. It could be someone or something that is opposing you, keeping you from moving forward and doing the right thing.
It means that sometime in your story, you’re going to have to get in the ring, engage in a battle, and possibly endure prolonged struggle. It also means that sometime in your story when you face difficulties, discomforts, you’re going to have to stop looking for effective ways to cope without Jesus.
Author and Speaker Jackie Pullinger said, “We do a lot of coping without Jesus.” DO WE REALLY? DO YOU?!
There are a number of different things that can trigger a person, causing them to look for ways to cope:
Disappointment, Stress: relational, career, health, safety, home, Work Pressure, Unfulfilled dreams and ambition, Loss/Bereavement, Abuse, Injustice, Divorce, Moving, Accidents, Loss of job, Sickness, Neglect, Rejection, Feel inadequate
Most of these things are hard…and for some…too hard to actually face and deal honestly with. If that’s the case, the real issue never gets addressed…the real issue never really goes away and so one must find an effective way to deal with the discomfort that comes from such an event. We develop coping mechanisms, which is a way we adapt, making a conscious or unconscious choice that will give us a sense of control or comfort.
Now there are more ways to cope then people in our Church. I will provide a short list of effective ways we can cope without Jesus, read carefully to see if you can identify your personal favourite.
Coping Mechanisms (actions you take to find comfort when your reality seems a bit to hard or uncomfortable to face)
Busyness,vT.V or Movies, Reading, Chocolate, Caffeine, Comfort Eating, Washing and Cleaning, Spending Money, Alcohol, Smoking, Anorexia or Bulimia, Workaholism, Sleeping, Drugs, Denial, Suicidal thoughts, Music, Surfing the net, Pornography, Trivializing – Making small what is really something big.
Some of these aren’t bad in and of themselves but when they are used as a coping mechanism when reality gets hard or they’re used to help you avoid a responsibility or obligation you have that is undesirable, then they can rob the true believer from moving forward and living a great story?
Are you living a great story, or do you find yourself looking for effective coping mechanisms to help you avoid facing the discomforts of life and moving forward?