1 thought on ““Why Therapy is Not Working” (Ryan Liberty)”

1. I’m thinking about what’s on the news, what people are talking/arguing about, and what might or might not happen, etc..

   All of which, if I pay a lot attention to it, I’m personally becoming convinced, is bad for me, especially in the current political climate. The news services scour the world like a ginormous multiple-armed pooper-scooper, collecting poop from the four corners of the earth, inflaming it, and dumping it into our minds, day after day after day.

   And in paying a lot of attention to it, I somehow end up thinking that I am or I ought to be in charge, or that if my opinion is well-informed enough, or if I can make a good enough argument, it will change something. However in reality I have no actual recourse to effectively change anything about what they talk about, except to vote every so often. Or try to start a revolution or something like that, which I have no interest in doing.

   So I walk around perpetually stymied – not good. We’re not supposed to continually be in situations where we have no recourse. So I feel frustrated & powerless. But can I avert my gaze? It’s like driving past an accident or watching the OJ Simpson trial, I don’t need to keep looking at it, but I do. It can easily become addictive & self-destructive in this case, I think.

   It would be ideal if we could not like what’s going on but not let it affect our internal well-being (unless it really materially did affect us). Nobody should have that kind of power over us.

   Now some will probably say that what I’m proposing is how Hitler was able to take over. Point taken. But what I’m saying still has some validity.

   There’s got to be a way out of feeling habitually stymied.

   Maybe limiting intake of news.

   Maybe realizing that even if the entire government were against you and your kind, that’s still a lot less malicious power against you than it was being a kid in a narcissistic family? Because now, you don’t have to believe what they’re telling you, whereas you did have to believe whatever they told you when you were a kid. Plus, you’ve got allies and resources now, plus you’ve faced bigger challenges than this before and have overcome them, through your own virtues and with God’s help, and this will be no different.

   Or maybe only pure faith would do it. This verse has gotten me through a lot of intractable circumstances:

   But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 2 Cor 4: 7-10

   or maybe:

   Count it all joy, my brothers,when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

   I don’t know but there’s got to be a way out of it, because it’s BS that our internal mental state and progress be affected that way. We shouldn’t stand for it. I hope that doesn’t sound unempathic.

   My point here is, it would be ideal to not let anybody who is in power get under our skin, and maybe it’s possible. See them for what they are, act accordingly, but consciously & intentionally direct our attention in productive directions & keep making progress on our growth & service to others / making a difference / doing something meaningful. This takes tremendous energy & strength of character but it seems at least theoretically possible (under any circumstances; Anne Frank comes to mind) & it seems like something to shoot for.

   LikeLiked by 1 person

Comments are closed.