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PHall | September 16, 2012
Being sinned against can be so traumatizing and frightening that I believe God has created a self-defense mechanism. Many victims of sexual abuse block the memories. In time, when God believes we are ready, He allows the memories to surface through dreams and vague memories. The temptation is to continually tamp down the memories, to […]
PHall | September 14, 2012
Being hurt brings the temptation of putting ourselves into the place of God, by taking revenge. This is another form of not forgiving. While we can be passive in our unforgiving, we can also be dangerously and sinfully active. Turning the other cheek can only happen after being sinned against (Mt 5.38-39). Being hurt suggests […]
PHall | September 13, 2012
Being broken breaks our relationships with those who have not hurt us, even though they are innocent. The betrayal of a friendship leads to pain. The discovery that a friendship is just a façade leads to doubt. Either damages friendship building and future friendships. Joseph’s brothers could not speak kindly to him after seeing their […]
PHall | September 13, 2012
F2F – The Temptations of Dysfunctional Families #5 – Being betrayed brings with it the temptation of lashing out verbally. This is how Joseph’s brothers spoke to him (37:4). Unknowingly, we betray ourselves when allowing pain from betrayal to determine our decisions. Our reactions toward perpetrators are temptations we have to face and fight against, […]
PHall | September 12, 2012
Being affected by a lack of love can cause us to redirect our efforts into “safe” sources. Relationships with those that never will hurt us become the only relationships we have. People look for that unconditional love found in animals and pets. Being a pet owner, I appreciate highly those who rescue. Dogs have an […]
PHall | September 11, 2012
Being emotionally rejected brings the temptation of accepting nothingness from fear of everything, including being hurt again by others. Nothingness leads to accepting loneliness when the Creator said it is not good to be alone (Gen 2.18). Hurt tempts us to accept existing outside of relationships, instead of living freely and intimately. Our souls become […]
PHall | September 11, 2012
Being wronged does not always involve being literally betrayed, as was Joseph; but some sins do inflict the emotional pain of treachery, disloyalty, and treachery. The sin brings a breach (Is 59.2) in the relationship. Therefore, another temptation is to not heal the relationship, to simply cut them off. This is also similar to the […]
PHall | September 10, 2012
Second, being inflicted suggests another temptation related to the one above, which is the weakness or stubbornness to not put in the work necessary to restore the relationship. We might try, and then give up. Someone said, time heals all wounds, but that is not true unless there is work and forgiveness. Forgiveness is a […]
PHall | September 9, 2012
First, being sinned against requires being forgiving (Mt 6.14-15). If “to err is human, to forgive, divine” (Alexander Pope); then the temptation to not forgive is not divine but demonic. The temptation to hold on to hurt is the same as with most every sin and betrayal. Bitterness becomes a daily pill. Anguish is our […]
PHall | July 8, 2012
Why was Genesis written? I would like to suggest four reasons. First, to satisfy man’s natural curiosity – “Where did I come from?” Second, to put man into perspective – we are created for God – “Why do I exist?” And third, to combat false concepts of creation’s origin – “Who is the true God?” […]