Always, no matter the circumstances, we have the assurance of “Immanuel,” which simply means “God with us.” Philip Yancey
In the previous post, I talked about taking part in the revolution that Jesus started. We participate by praying in God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. In this post, I want to share another part of the revolution.
This one happens not by anything we do, but by noticing something at first hard to grasp. It is the reality of the living Christ with us, the one whose name is Immanuel.
I call this the Immanuel Truth. Why is this a revolution? I’ve watched His presence do the most astonishing things in others. Here are three among many I could choose.
1. He opens the door to secure attachment
The foundation of our being and well-being comes from a safe and secure attachment to another. The Bible’s word for this is trust. We learn this type of connection at first from our parents, but ultimately they are just pointers to a larger reality.
Jesus is that larger reality. He is the one who holds all things together, including our lives. To attach to Him is to connect to the One who holds history in His hands. He is the ultimate security. But how do you connect to someone you cannot see?
One way is through the imagination. Our capacity to image things in our minds is one of the most robust ways we are like God. We can create worlds in our minds and bring them to life through the creative process. But the imagination can also help us experience what is true so that it becomes real for us. We may believe that Jesus is with us, but how does that become real for us?
I often lead a man in the Safe Place prayer. It’s based on the idea all throughout the Psalms that God is a rock, a fortress, a safe place. I have them picture in their minds a place they love to go that feels safe and then have them invite Jesus to be there with them. What happens next is always a surprise. I have had many men describe quiet yet remarkable encounters with Jesus. What He does and says in that place is just what they need to learn to trust.
2. He frees us from fear
Often the topic of fear will come up in a spiritual direction session. We are told in the Bible that perfect love casts out fear( I John 4:18). This is another way of saying that where we fear is where we have not learned secure attachment to His love. And our fears, conscious or unconscious, exert tremendous power over our lives.
Sometimes the fear is so pervasive or broad that I have a man first name his fears But how can Jesus then free him from them? Here’s how.
I will tell a man to take some time in silence and name his fears before the Lord, handing them over to Him. Then he can ask Jesus, “What will you give me in exchange for my fear?” What comes back is always what they need to help break the bondage of fear.
3. He heals our traumas
A trauma is an experience that comes on us by surprise with devastating force. We lose all power to choose, resist, or run. It creates a stuck place in our brains which we can no longer file away like other memories. Around that stuck place are glued unprocessed emotion, unspoken vows, and even demonic oppression. Our sense of identity and our view of the world become warped. Shame, abuse, catastrophic events, and repeated violations can all cause trauma.
Most of us try to hide our traumas (consciously or unconsciously) or think our way out of them. I have done both and can tell you it doesn’t work. The healing of trauma comes from an empathetic witness, one who can feel what we have felt and provide a new perspective. Jesus is that ultimate empathetic witness.
When a man feels safe with the Lord and ready to pull up the memory of a trauma, I will have Him invite Jesus to be there with HIm. What Jesus will say or do in that memory is just what a man needs to be healed of it.
Final Thoughts
Jesus is alive and on the move in our world, bringing in His kingdom. His Immanuel presence IS the revolution. He is our Brother, always with us, the one who understands the joys and struggles of being a man. He gets us. He gets you.
However you learn to be with Him, He will bring you the blessings of His Kingdom: hope, healing, love, courage, power, connection, and trust.
Curious? Want to hear more? Contact me or reply back to this post.
Bill
