Borrowing Faith?

Sometimes we need to 'borrow' faith, hope, and love from friends. Those who are able to help us bear the weight of a burden that can leave me feeling paralyzed. Can we really "borrow" faith? Is it Biblically correct to try? How do I borrow faith from someone? These are a few of the questions my clients ask when I suggest this. There are times in our journey for wholeness that we feel overwhelmed, tired. I would almost venture to say; "The journey can leave us feeling paralyzed!"

In the book of Luke chapter 5 verse 17-20 we find the story of the paralytic man.
"One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

Ok, truthfully, how many of you skimmed thru the above verses feeling like you have read it a thousand times and know it word for word....??? I tend to do that. I want help and I need it now! So let's take it a verse at a time and ask God to show us how this applies to us that are traveling the journey of wholeness.

"One day as he was teaching..." Jesus himself was teaching. We find this to be true anytime we are learning about truth. Whether it is the truth about our past or the truth about how the past is affecting us now. He is always teaching we are always learning.

What is truely amazing is WHO He was teaching!! It was a sold out seminar! The 'big boys' from all over the surrounding countryside were there... leaving no room for the 'little people'. "One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there." Could you imagine busting in on the United Nations peace treaty or something of that magnitude, to bring a friend help? That is what these friends did. The Bible does not give us a clue how they knew Jesus could help. Or the fear they must have felt as they tore the straw away from the roof. Were they risking death? Maybe, it was only prison, stoning? Whatever the risk, they were willing to take it to help their friend find the wholeness that only Christ could offer him. I think we find people like this in our journey.

Look back thru the verses and see how many times you can find the words; they or their. I counted 3 times. Was their faith important? "When Jesus saw their faith (italicized mine) he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

I feel that sometimes it is our spiritual responsibility to bring those before the Lord that can not come themselves. And that on the flip-side, sometimes we are the ones that need to be carried and lowered before him, at his feet. That is a pretty humble position.

I truly believe that DID is a survival instinct that is brought about by severe, life-threatening abuse that is repeatedly endured by children before the age of 4-5 (maybe younger, in my case younger 2-1/2).

I believe that peace, if not complete healing can be obtained through therapy, journaling, prayer and the faith of a mustard seed.... remember.."He who started the good work in you (and it is a good work) is faithful to bring it to the end"

I dont believe "denominations" have a real part in the healing process. I treat clients from all walks of life and from all denominations. I find that a firm belief that God is there and He loves you is really all you need. And on the days when even that seems impossible; someone to "borrow" faith from when the days get real dark. Just like the crippled man on the mat. He had no hope of ever seeing Jesus let alone sitting in front of Him at His feet! His friends lowered him thru the roof to set him at Jesus' feet. He needed to borrowed his friends' faith. Their hope that Christ could heal him from whatever was paralyzing him. I feel sometimes it is ok for us to do the same. On the days when we feel like we can't get to Jesus, that He is too far away, that the pain is too great, the road too hard; He will send someone. Although, it will probably be the person we least expect!

Keeping with the theme of balance, that if God used friends to bring the man then the man must have a part also. God is always teaching us; so let's skip a few verses of disbelief and criticism. (Although, in these verses we see that there are those that refuse to learn to hear the truth no matter WHO is teaching them.) In verse 24b-25 we find Christ giving homework assignments, just like any good therapist.

".....He said to paralyzed man, 'I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home.' Immediately he stood up in front of them took what he had been lying on and went home praising God."

We find that our job stops once we have brought our friend and laid them at Jesus' feet. Then that is where thier work starts. They need to be obedient to Jesus' commands. In this case he told him to get up, take, and walk. Sounds easy. But is that really so different than what Christ ask of us in this journey?

To rise.... to stand up. His desire is for us to quit being shackled and cowering to the memories that are holding us captive. Rise up he says. For many of us this is the hardest part. The pain is great. So it was for the man. Could you imagine not walking for who knows how many years, and then rising up on brittle legs to walk? PAIN!! Jesus never said it wouldn't hurt. He just ask you to do it.

His next command is just as hard. 'Take' How many of us have fought the memories that bind us? When a flashback comes, we try to run away from it in whatever form we can find? Drugs, alcohol, denial, busyness, unrelated anger (lashing out at spilled milk or some other minor offense) what is your choice, did I miss it?

So how do we learn to take? Step by step, first, you realize that the worse is over. You have already survived the real action of the memory. Now you are facing the pain of it. You are only facing feelings. Journaling is one way of facing the pain of the emotions. It offers a release of all the emotions at once.

We find our example in the Psalms, David journaled. He got really angry at God. He cried out to God in pain. He praised God. He wept. He ran the whole spectrum of emotions, and God still loved him. So it is ok to write the pain that you feel. God will still love you.

The last part of this sounds the worse but actually when you reach it will be a natural reaction. "...and went home..." He went on with the rest of his life! He went home to his family. He started a whole new facet of his life. One where he didn't have to beg for money. One where he was free!! He could walk around and talk with people. A whole new way of life. Doesn't that bring a smile to your spirit. There is hope in the end. A whole new life. A different way of living that you don't feel trapped in one spot or so dependant on others.

I don't want this to sound like it happens instantly. It doesn't. It takes lots of tears, paper, and hard work to press into the pain. It is just like childbirth (for those of you that can relate). When the contraction comes, you learn to breath to get through it. Then God gives you a break, a time of rest. You don't sit and worry about the next contraction, you sleep. When the next one does come you press into it, learning from the first ones that it is bring a new life into yours.

In the end, you realize that the pain was but a dream. You remember that it hurt, but you can't describe how bad it hurt. And now, looking at this new life, looking back you see that it was worth every ounce of energy you used to bring it about.

May God bless your journey as you learn to press into the pain.

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