Lost Yourself Lately?...

Don't be a hater......

There is an author that I have enjoyed reading throughout my life, who tends to have amazing insights and ways to describe aspects of life, while looking through different religious views. This author to which I refer, is C. S. Lewis, one of the most prominent Christian writers and intellectuals of the twentieth century. One of my favorite books he has written, is entitle "The Screwtape Letters", of which many of you know.  The basis of the book is the correspondence between a senior tempter (Screwtape) in work for the devil, to his young nephew (Wormwood) that is assigned to tempt an ordinary young man.  In it, Screwtape is telling Wormwood of things that he needs to know about how to secure the damnation of this man, and how to use the world against the plan that the Enemy (God) has for all humans. I really enjoy some of the ways that "Screwtape", in his letters, tells of what God wants us to become, and how it is that He desires for us to "lose" ourselves. Here are two different excerpts from the book here talking on that subject;

"Of course I know that the Enemy also wants to detach men from themselves, but in a different way.  Remember always, that He really likes the little vermin, and sets an absurd value on the distinctness of every one of them.  When He talks of their losing their selves, He only means abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever.  Hence, while He is delighted to see them sacrificing even their innocent wills to His, He hates to see them drifting away from their own nature for any other reason.  And we should always encourage them to do so." 

"The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in that fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another.  The Enemy wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbour's talents-- or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall.  He wants each man, in the long run, to be able to recognize all creatures (even himself) as glorious and excellent things.  He wants to kill their animal self-love as soon as possible; but it is His long-term policy, I fear, to restore to them a new kind of self-love-- a charity and gratitude for all selves, including their own; when they have really learned to love their neighbours as themselves, they will be allowed to love themselves as their neighbours.  For we must never forget what is the most repellent and inexplicable trait of our Enemy; He really loves the hairless bipeds He has created and always gives back to them with His right hand what He has taken away with His left."

It is amazing the love that God truly has for us.  He cares for us more than we could possibly imagine, and is there to bless and guide us in our lives, so as for us to come closer to Him in our lives, and to receive the blessings that He desires for us. Life is in no way meant to be solely a trial, and we are not born into condemnation. Rather we came here, from the presence of our loving Father in Heaven, to be able to learn and to grow. When we look at different scriptures, they tell of the desire God has for us;

"...men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25)

"For behold, this is my work and my glory-- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39)

..........be a lover  =)

God wants us to have happiness in our lives, and that as we look to Him, to find even greater peace, and also have even more in store for our eternities, to one day live with God. God does not want all to loose individuality, or in any way "who" we are, but to become one in our love of God, and in following our Savior Jesus Christ. In the intercessory prayer, Christ prays for the apostles and His disciples to become one, and upon viewing, it is not to loose who we are, but to be one in purpose. 

"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee.  Holy Father, keep through thine own name those who thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." (John 17:3)

Now is Christ praying for all of His followers to become one person, to lose all of who they are and even so much as become the same being? No!  But as we see of what our purpose, and His work and glory is, for us to have joy, and to have eternal life.  He loves us so much and is there to guide us in many ways, even in every aspect of our lives.  And Screwtape in those parts quoted, is close to the very things that Christ taught during His earthly ministry and told His disciples;

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it." (Matt 10:39)

Remember that God loves you, and wants you to find joy in your life.  Follow what He has taught, and test to see if truly is something that can bring an added measure of that happiness and blessings to your life, and the life of your family.  I testify that I know as you follow God, and the example of Jesus Christ, you will be blessed beyond measure. This I know because I have seen it as a personal witness in my own life.  Remember who you are and what you stand for.