The philosophy of tough love is based on the conviction that no effective recovery can be initiated until a man admits that he is powerless over alcohol and that his life has become unmanageable. The alternative to confronting the truth is always some form of self-destruction. For Max there were three options: eventual insanity, premature death, or sobriety. In order to free the captive, one must name the captivity. Max’s denial had to be identified through merciless interaction with his peers. His self-deception had to be unmasked in its absurdity.
~ Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee… So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil… Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised… From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
~ paul, The Least of The Apostles, in 2 Corinthians 5
Oh beloved, it is true. There is a huge comparison and contrast between the existence we once had, and the Life we no have in Him.
Where once we were:
- Alone, we are now filled in Him.
- Bereaved, we are now swimming in The River of Life.
- Cast out, we have been invited into the near Presence of our King.
- Damned, we are Redeemed into Eternal Life
- Exhausted, we are filled will His Strength
- Forsaken, we are now the peculiar jewel of His Heart
- Guilty, we have been declared utterly righteous
- Hard-Hearted, we have been given a heart of flesh
- Imprisoned, we have – for freedom – been set free
- Judged, we have been found not guilty
- Kept from G_d, we have been united with Him
- Lost, we have been found
- Miserable, we have found Joy unspeakable
- Numb, we have now have the compassion of Jesus
- Oppressed, we now take our revenge on the evil one in Christ’s strength
- Powerless, we can now do all things in Christ
- Questioned, we are now unjudgeable
- Rejected, we are now fully, completely and totally accepted by Him
- Sad, we now have pleasures at His Right Hand forevermore
- Torn, we are now whole and healthy and strong
- Unknown, we are the apple of His eye
- Vanquished, we are more than conquerers in Him
- Wounded, we are healed and given the garment of praise
- X-communicated, we are now in communion with the Triune One
- Yearning, we are filled
- Z-listed, we are now zealous for the things He desires.
