“She who has the Most High, needs no other high,” really is one of my favorite sayings. I kid you not, the Lord will take you on some adventures that will just blow your mind!
I’m laughing here, but most of my life I’ve been busy trying to just survive, trying to just keep at least one foot firmly planted on the ground and my head clear, so substances have not been a big issue for me. Also, my demons are really scary and I’m pretty sure they can swim. The last thing I want is for them to get high and start chasing me down. I suspect they’re much better at it then I am.
That said, I do live in a land that just idolizes the goddess of green. I actually start to get annoyed sometimes. No honest, I just want a plain bottle of water, not one infused with CBD’s. No, I’m not cannabis shaming! Look, I know it cures absolutely EVERYTHING, but I’m really feeling pretty healthy right now. Do you even sell bottled water here? Okay, okay, I’ll leave. No need to get hostile…
I’m not even joking.
I really loved this meme however, and I think there’s some truth here that people really need to hear and to receive. I sometimes think my entire life has just been one dark night of the soul after another, and I know I’m not alone there. Many people have walked through much darker things, fought much bigger demons, and survived to tell the tale. We are strong and powerful, we are dragon slayers. Been here, done this, and already mounted his head up over my fireplace.
The world really needs that kind of strength right now, that testimony, that wisdom and experience. Several years ago when I took a good look about the world, my heart just broke, not so much for the poor, not for people who have been victimized, not for those wrestling with addictions, but for the privileged, the entitled, the pharisees and high churchians living in their Christian bubbles. I kid you not, my heart just broke and I actually got scared for them.
Cultural Christianity used to annoy me, that superficial, shallow, we go to church on Christmas and Easter and read the Bible during funerals kind of thing. But I actually got scared, I got depressed over the plight of the privileged and entitled, the complacent and the comfortable. It’s a bit funny to remember how broken up I was over it, but I’m serious, I spent weeks thanking the Lord for every trial, every tribulation, every dark night of the soul that has made me strong in Him.
These are the times that try men’s souls, and most people who are really privileged and entitled have souls have never even been tried or tested! There is great strength and power on the bottom of the food chain, on the lowest rung of the ladder, at the bottom of a pit. One might even say, it is a “privileged” position to be in.
I’m tossing this word “privilege” about all willy nilly, but I really mean it. Those of us in Christ are so privileged, saved, redeemed, the sons and daughters of a most high God. Those of us in Jesus Christ who have really been tested by life’s trials, are blessed beyond measure! It is a priceless gift. It is privilege often earned though no fault of our own, but a genuine crown to be worn with some strength and dignity, some pride even, the good kind.
The Bible doesn’t say, blessed are the privileged, blessed are the comfortable, it says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.…”
Blessed are those who have had dark nights of the soul, blessed are those who have been tried and tested and planted their feet firmly on the Rock, those who truly know who their Savior is and why we need Him.
It does seem as if the entire world is having a dark night of the soul right now. I’m not terribly cheerful about it, but I am trying to be because I know a whole lot of shaking helps to separate the wheat from the chaff, and what often seems really painful at the time are just birth pains, just the natural process of bringing new life into the world. It doesn’t always feel real comfortable at the time, but the payoff at the end is priceless.
See, there's this thing called biology... 
Interesting, I personally had divine interventions, and if you have doubts, read the ancient prophets, its’ there in black and white, as for substances, there were all put here for our uses, it’s how we use them that counts, chemicals are the real issue, amen
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is so good. For some reason we do really need our trials.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely some shaking going on, and that’s good! I don’t remember where, but I heard a sermon once about all the things shaking does – makes things settle down to make room for more (like shaking a container in order to top it off), combining things so that they can never again be separated, getting rid of loose/dead branches, harvesting ripened fruit … I’m sure I’m forgetting some. Anyway, I’m thankful for the times of trial, for the reasons you mentioned. Also grateful to God that during times of calm He didn’t let me drift. I was sharing with a friend all the kinds of belts that could be compared to the “belt of Truth,” and she reminded me that divers wear a heavy belt with weights to keep them anchored so they can walk on the bottom of the ocean instead of drifting with the tides. So even if we find ourselves in the “privileged” places, we don’t need to let ourselves drift away from God if we stay in His Word and let Him prepare us for the not-so-easy times ahead.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That is a great analogy, like a deep sea diver belt keeps them on the bottom and walking upright. Very cool! We would call that “grounded in the word.” I also like what you said about how walking in privileged places doesn’t mean we have to walk away from God. Very true!
“Privilege” is a good thing too, be it money or talent or wisdom, or simply being saved and redeemed! “Privilege” is not the enemy at all, it is a good thing, it is what we want to invite others into. It is not limited or scarce, it is abundant and available for all in a spiritual sense, the riches of His grace.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Reminds me of James: “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” Well said, IB, with your usual dollop of humor, which I love.
Becky
LikeLiked by 2 people
As the song says, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.” ❤
LikeLike
“what often seems really painful at the time are just birth pains, just the natural process of bringing new life into the world. It doesn’t always feel real comfortable at the time, but the payoff at the end is priceless.”
So good. Thank you for this perspective. Holy Spirit breathed! Reblogging!
LikeLiked by 2 people