Faith Ghosts!

Do you believe in ghosts?  I don't, never have.  I don't say that to infer anything at all but to let you know I DO believe in spirits that can easily be confused with ghosts.

The Bible speaks repeatedly about spirits that troubled people and it is that form of spirit I refer to.  In recent days I have been "haunted" by a couple of spirits.  The first is super common and it is the spirit of regret.  Now if you're a person who says "I never regret anything" then I say you either didn't try or didn't set your goals high enough.  Me, I have a LOT of regrets.  I regret I didn't marry my awesome wife earlier.  I regret I allowed friends to come between me and family.  I regret not moving away from my home town at an earlier age.  I regret not keeping some of the awesome "junk" my parents gave me and on and on the list could go but you get the idea.

Regret isn't a ghost but it is most assuredly a spirit that haunts us.  Our enemy is very good at bringing back memories of what "could have been" or what "should have been".  He reminds us constantly of our mistakes and in a form haunts our mind. 

Another spirit that I bring to your attention is the spirit of pride.  This first cousin to regret is an ugly one because it often stares us in the face and we've given it such justification we can't see it.  I say pride is related to regret because one morning as I was praying away the first ghost the second began whispering in my ear how justified I was in not doing anything to overcome those things.  That troubled me.  See if this sounds familiar to you...
        "Oh I hate that my relationship with my children has become what it is, BUT I did everything I could to keep it from becoming this way!"  Did you now?  Isn't it amazing how often a big ol' BUT gets in the way?  These ghosts work hand in hand to keep us from living victorious and fulfilled lives. 

These thoughts were born in me when I was reading Matthew 5:23-25.  It was there Jesus said "If then you are making an offering at the altar and there it comes to your mind that your brother has something against you, (24) While your offering is still before the altar, first go and make peace with your brother, then come and make your offering. (25) Come to an agreement quickly with him who has a cause against you at law, while you are with him on the way, for fear that he may give you up to the judge and the judge may give you to the police and you may be put into prison."  Now you probably don't have any regret that could lead to prison but the idea is still sound.

"If you are at the altar and remember that your BROTHER has something against you..."  (paraphrasing) Do you get the sadness of that concept?  It's your brother and there is a rift between you and he, that's a tragedy my friend.  It doesn't say you are guilty or that he is justified but there is something wrong between your brother and you, that's Jesus call to action that we should work for reconciliation. 

Yet regret mixed with pride says "I can't go back.  It'll just blow up like it did before and I don't want that."  Is your fear of what might happen, your pride of how you might look as you try to reconcile, are those things so powerful you'd rather live with regret?

Having a true brother is a rare thing.  In my entire life I've had two, maybe three brothers.  These men wouldn't ever turn their back on me and I feel the same way about them.  We rarely see each other but when we do it's comfortable and it seems like time and the distance doesn't exist.  I believe that is because we have a love deep enough to overcome regret and powerful enough that pride won't stop us from preserving what God has given us.

Are you haunted?  I could have easily added the ghosts of fear, worry, and anger but they all apply to your need for reconciliation.  A family split remains a family whether it be flesh or a church body.  Why not pray right now and when the Spirit of God speaks to you get up from that altar and reach out to your brother or sister?  I know things could go wrong but let hope arise and just imagine if they don't and you get that loved one back!  Chase those ghosts away and go for it.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and remember, "YOU ARE LOVED!"

Posts to Come

My apologies for you few who view this blog and have told me you look forward to my posts here.  I have several that will appear in the next week as I have been writing my ideas on paper, in a notebook so I wouldn't post anything too hastily.  See you soon!