Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 83
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
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Hang
on to your hats! Michael goes where
very, very few have ever trod in this day’s writing. But then…he doesn’t go where the title
indicates.
And
as you see, almost every sentence could be highlighted, underlined, or made
bold print. See what fits you the most….
Day
171
Jesus, Please Make Me a Bipolar Manic-Depressive!
Peace I leave with you;
My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let
your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. --John 14:27
Of course, “bipolar manic-depressive” is misdiagnosed
more often than it is correctly diagnosed. The problem with such labels is that
they, then, receive the treatment, not the individual. Well, amen. At
any rate, as the world sees it, a bipolar person is one whose emotions swing
abnormally from a depressive low to a giddy high in a matter of moments. Normal emotions are to roll slowly
in response to events within and without a person. For example, in coping with the death of a loved
one, the emotions of loss, loneliness, and even anger can take many months to
level out at a place called normal. I would not look at a woman who had
just lost her husband of fifty years and ask, “Why do you not laugh?” If she
did laugh it would be abnormal; she would be bipolar. However, many Christians are praying that
God would, for all practical purposes, make them bipolar when they have
experienced a negative event, a failure in their lives, a disappointment with
another, or an offense; once they forgive they want their emotions immediately
to go from the bottom to the top. That, to me, is completely unrealistic. Forgiveness can occur in a moment,
but the emotions will take their time in coming back to a place of normalcy.
Emotions must be given time to calm down after the fact without attempts to
have them be a bipolar-type up and down in an instant. Believers can acknowledge God in a death, move in
faith, put their eyes on Him, and rejoice for the departed loved one, but the
deep feeling of loss will take time to subside and give way to the feeling of
hope. God works slowly.
We are not to be praying to be bipolar. Our spirit will soar, but emotions will
take awhile.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
In Michael’s book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness*, he quickly
draws attention to the roller-coaster ride (actually seeking to constantly be
on a mountaintop experience) so many Christians experience from having eaten
from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and
Evil, which is illustrated by the
bipolar diagnosis of the rising and falling emotions. Because so many are experiencing this, and
receiving the world’s erroneous diagnosis, and no biblical help…very few ever
get free from this kind of life once they are on the ride.
Michael points out 4 great truths:
1. “The problem with such labels is that they (the
labels), then, receive the
treatment
and not the individuals.”
How true. All we have
to do is hear someone mention that they or someone
else have been diagnosed as such…ask
them what sort of treatment they are
getting…and listen as they give the
medical prescription that is their
supposed “answer,” no counseling for
the issues causing the “diagnosis.”
2. “Normal emotions are to roll slowly in response to events within and
without a
person.”
Helping someone with emotional problems is far
different than most other
issues. The saddest part is that very few ever get
help with God’s healing of
their emotions…just with
the medicinal salve. Believe me, God can
and does
heal the emotions of His
kids damaged by a hurt, loss, etc.
3. “Forgiveness can occur in a moment, but the emotions will take their
time in coming
back to a place of normalcy.”
Why is it that “the
church” cannot stand to have someone in a place other than
the “mountaintop”? It is perfectly fine for someone to be
“coming back to a
place of normalcy” after
a traumatic event in their life, and not be “soaring.”
4. “God works slowly. We are not
to be praying to be bipolar. Our spirit
will soar,
but emotions will take awhile.”
Aha. I told you Michael was not going where the
title indicates! Michael
pointing out that “God
works slowly” is so important. His
timing in all things is
what we should want. Amen?
Tell me, how have you been treating those damaged emotions…yours or
others? How many times have you been
going back to Jesus, to receive His peace: “Peace I leave with you;
My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it
be fearful.”
* if you do not have Sidetracked
In The Wilderness, go to ALMI’s website, www.abidinglife.org , and get one!
You will be thrilled you did!
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NOTICE: a new blog on
Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. You can access by logging onto
www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
leemccm@gmail.com
P. O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, Tx 75963 936-559-5696
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