Page 23 of book "How to Pray for Spiritual Growth"

Hello, Companion Mustard Seed Library Supporters,

"Jesus points the way down the path of spiritual growth and self-discovery. He asks only that He can come along, for He knows that the way is dark and only He has enough Light to guide us unerringly on that road. This is one place where Christianity and psychology both meet and diverge. Like psychology, Jesus asks us to find our true selves; but unlike psychology, He does not require us to discover who we really are on our own. On the contrary, He knows that task would be impossible, because our true selves are hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3), therefore, Jesus--and only Jesus--can successfully lead us to find our true selves."

"Self-discovery without Jesus' guiding is introspection, and it easily leads to self-centeredness, pride, confusion, and error. Self-discovery with Jesus as guide is inner healing, and when we allow Him to guide every step it leads to God-centeredness, hope, freedom, and joy. This kind of spiritual growth is God's will for us."

These thoughts remind me of our Call to Mission statement at Emmanuel: "We are called to proclaim Christ's Love and God's Grace by inviting all into a spiritual relationship with God through worship, bible study, witness, service and fellowship."

The thoughts in the first two paragraphs above seem true to me but I ponder and ponder on where do people find Jesus to lead them? I happened to have some conversation yesterday with a woman who told me she feels she is very religious but she doesn't go to church. She had remarkable things to say: God has given her many gifts, especially with her hands, and everything she has been able to do it has been only with His Help. There have been many times when she has been in a tight spot, financially and otherwise and He has always helped her out. In my own case, I believe God led me right into the Church, even to me it looks right now to be also the "Institutional Church" where life is just like an onion, being peeled layer-by-layer (should read some time about onions and why we eat so many of them and why they are so tasty in all the recipes and why they are good for us nutritionally), but anyway the woman's testimony yesterday was both comforting (Jesus is everywhere and all-around, guiding people inside and outside of the Institutional Church) but also not comforting (there are so many people here in the U.S.A. who don't seem to find their well-being and grounding for their faith within the Institutional Church). Is all of this the strength of His Church or is all this the weakness of His Church? Guess, in the final analysis, my own job is just to "be there" and let the chips fall where they may, in my own truth I can do no other. But I still ponder and truth to tell face so many insecurities in the whole effort. In the final analysis, what do you think is your job and where do you think you are doing your job?

God bless,
Sharon