Christian "Brain Damage"

I would like to talk to you for  a while about what I believe all Christians experience at some point in their life. It is a phrase I call “Christian Brain Damage.”

Before I go into further detail, please watch this short clip. It is an excerpt from one of Bill Cosby’s comedic videos “Himself,” made in 1983. In this section of the film, Cosby describes some of the difficulties he has with his children.

Although all good metaphors break down at some point, I believe that Cosby has caught on to a very simple problem that most people go through. As he described in the video, his children do not do what he asks them to do. In fact, they do what he asks them not to do even though they know they are not supposed to do it. He refers to this as “brain damage.” His kids do the very thing he asks them not to do and when he asks them why they did it, all they can say is “I dunno!” — Brain Damage.

I have been reflecting on my life and actions in the past few days and I have come to the conclusion that I have Christian Brain Damage. I constantly do things God has said are not healthy for me. They might be things he has commanded me not to do and I have done, or they may be things that he has asked me to do and I have not done. I fail God in this way every single day, and all I can ever say when God reminds me about it is “I dunno!” — Brain Damage.

When facing this fact, I am drawn back to the Word, where a fellow child of God was also experiencing Christian Brain Damage. Check out Romans 7:15-25

¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

 ²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

In these passages, the Apostle Paul is speaking to us regarding the constant struggle that he has with his sinful nature and his ability to do that which the Lord has called him to do. His life is far from perfect and he often feels this sense of Christian Brain Damage which has been caused by the evil that is within us all. He feels regret and remorse for his actions, and when he is confronted by his Father, Paul is thoroughly humbled.

The difference between the brain damage that Bill Cosby describes and that which we as Christians experience is seen in the father’s response. In his video, Cosby demonstrates frustration, anger, and even a disconnection with his kids in the light of their so called “brain damage.” He finds it exhausting, painful, and annoying to deal with. This, thankfully, is not how our Heavenly Father handles our Christian Brain Damage. Our Father is never exhausted by our failures. He is always willing to show mercy even when we manage to screw up every single day of our lives. Sometimes all we can say is “I dunno,” but God understands us. He says that if we confess our sins, He will always be faithful to forgive us. He gently and lovingly reminds us of His will, and righteously instructs us with wisdom and care.

As Christians, we all demonstrate signs of Christian Brain Damage (some more than others), but we are more than blessed to have a Father who is merciful unto us and who gives us grace when we least expect it. I know that I will continue to struggle with this, but thanks be to God, who delivers me (daily) through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Encouraged and Empowered

I love how God always directs me within His Word to concepts, ideas, and emotions that will benefit my life physically and spiritually. He has never failed in doing so. Every single time I open up the Bible, I find something new and wonderful that I have never experienced before.

Today’s blessing came while reading in 1 Corinthians. In case you did not know already, the book of 1 Corinthians was written by Paul to the church at Corinth regarding correction of errors within the church itself. As he begins his letter, Paul takes some time to describe how he has come into apostleship and explains the authority of his words which proceed from the teachings of Christ. The Church was founded on and maintains its doctrine from the words of the apostles which were directed of the Lord. This holds true to my life spiritually as well. I just want to thank Paul for being so open, honest, and humble in his strength. Paul was a righteous man of God, but was only so because he allowed the Spirit to lead, guide and direct him.

In I Corinthians 2, Paul is describing the power with which he speaks; he also discusses how it is that he has gained the wisdom which flows from his words. I want to skip around a little and then come back to the beginning of chapter 2 a bit later. God really dealt with me on an emotional level in this passage. First, in verses 9-16, Paul reminds the church that the things of God cannot be discerned of a man who is of the world, for he has received the spirit of the world. We can know the things of God, for we have received the only thing which knows the mind of God, the Spirit. We have been given the Spirit, and as a result, we have the mind of Christ.

“9 But it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given unto us of God.”

We can know the things of God, for we have received the only thing which knows the mind of God, the Spirit. We have been given the Spirit, and as a result, we have the mind of Christ.

“13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritually judgeth all things, yet himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

In order to know the fullness of God’s will, we must search the Spirit of the Lord which reveals to us these things. The Word is our light, it leads us and the Spirit guides us on the path of righteousness for the sake of God. This is a huge concept. Our lives are directed and called of the Lord and God actually wants us to find His will! He directs us to it for His name’s sake. Because we have the Spirit within us and the mind of Christ providing righteous wisdom, we can align our lives with the will of God. Once we determine His will, we must then begin to carry out that will while walking through the doors that He opens up for us: never forsaking to give glory and praise to Him that guides us through it all.

Here is where Paul’s words really hit home for me. I know that God has called me to be a missionary, to serve Him in service to others, and to carry His Word and let it speak for itself. I am doing my best to adequately prepare myself for what God has for me. I am sharpening my mind, and making tender the affections of my heart in order to show the love of Christ which has been shown to me. Despite my best efforts, I still feel somewhat insignificant. This insignificance streams from a current of fear which erodes my self-confidence- a fear that I will never know enough to present the Word of God to man as perfectly as it presents itself to my own heart; that my words will fail to capture the glory of a perfect God.

Paul describes this same feeling in the early verses of 1 Corinthians 2.

“1 And I, bretheren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” 

WOW. Thank you Paul! Thank you God for giving discernment and wisdom to Paul. I can learn so much from his experiences told in these few verses. Paul came right out and displayed his weakness to the entirety of the people of Corinth. These are people who he planned on correcting in a few chapters, yet he was willing to take himself off the pedestal and give God glory. His words were not his own. In fact, his words were not of excellency at all; rather they were of demonstration of God’s power as they were spoken of the Spirit through Paul. Paul was terrified- he trembled, he was afraid and he felt weak and insignificant. Like I have felt lately, his words could never adequately bring forth the holiness of God to a people who had been laid on his heart.

Paul’s powerful words of wisdom sprang forth from the omnipotent God that was guiding him. As a result of these words of humility, the people could know that Paul was not was worthy of praise, but that the strength and faith of the people might be found in the power of God. That is what I wish to communicate through my words. I am not my own man, but a man of Christ. My words are not my own, but those of a holy and loving God that guides me daily.