Chapter 1: Recognizing Tip-of-the-Iceberg Spirituality
Just finished reading Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero and this is my #1 post as I work through the book: confronting the past.
A timely read for me as I also started to write parts of my history and realize how painful it is to write and work through. Scazzero starts off the first chapter by exposing how our family of origin has greatly impacted our present way of relating to life. Peter realized his past was limiting and poisoning his present and it took a series of crises to force him to stop, look and listen. Not one of us has been spared dysfunction or abnormality as there was only One Who was normal--using the measure of God--Jesus Himself.
To grow into emotional maturity requires facing the pain of our past with God.
It takes courage.
His first chapter reveals how I pray with him:
"O God, I thank You for Your grace and mercy in my life. If it were not for You, I would not even be aware of You or my need for You transforming work deep beneath the surface of my life. Lord, give me the courage to be honest and to allow the Holy Spirit's power to invade all of who I am below the surface of my iceberg so that Jesus might be formed in me. Lord, help me to grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ is for me personally. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
The next series of posts will include quotes that strike me as well as the prayers he included at end of each chapter.
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