Restore Fall Study Lesson 2: Common Themes of Common Struggles
Every virus has a Patient Zero--the first person who got sick with that virus; the first person to spread it. Once a virus becomes widespread, affecting thousands of people, the hunt is on. They need to find Patient Zero. Once scientists find this first person who got sick, they can learn how and when that person caught the virus, and how it spreads.
Humanity has its own virus--one that manifests itself in many ways. A real virus hijacks your cells, and uses the same systems that produces new healthy cells, to produce more of the virus. It warps what was a good thing. The same thing has happened with us. We have “common struggles,” things that are natural, normal things, but can be twisted by sin and hurt to harm our souls. Some of these common struggles are fantasy, guilt, shame, fear, anger, or sorrow. These things by themselves aren’t inherently wrong--after all, Jesus Himself wrestled with some of these, and was even called a “man of sorrows” who was shamed on the cross. These are ways that we respond to evil. But they become sinful when they drive us more than faith, and when they overshadow how God wants us to live. This can look like several things:
A struggle with fantasy can fuel discontentment with your spouse. It can drive you to escape reality and your responsibilities through some sort of distraction, or your drug of choice.
A struggle with guilt can paralyze you with regret. Fixating on what you could have done differently or beating yourself up for not knowing can rob you of joy.
A struggle with shame can cause you to withdraw from God and others out of a sense that you are unworthy, inadequate, or a failure.
A struggle with fear can leave you anxious and paranoid. You may be frightened of saying or doing something wrong. You may be afraid of letting others know the real you.
A struggle with anger can hurt the people you love. Anger keeps others at a distance.
A struggle with sorrow can keep you living in the past, keep you from enjoying the present, or steal any desire to live in the future.
If we’re honest, we likely see at least one of these “symptoms” in our lives, examples of a common struggle that has been hijacked--and probably more than one. But where did these common struggles come from?
They originated long ago. God gave our first parents everything good and beautiful that they could need--with only one rule: “Don’t eat from that tree.” But Adam and Eve decided to trust themselves and the serpent more than God, and with that, sin entered into the world. It warped their desires. Adam is our Patient Zero.
He contracted it, spread it to all of humanity after him, and exhibited all the symptoms. Adam and Eve were struck with guilt and shame as God approached them, responded with fear to God’s calls, and in anger blamed each other.
But what does this sin that was passed down from Adam do? Just as a cold impedes our ability to concentrate, and even to breath rightly, so these warped common struggles impeded you from living rightly.
Perhaps as you read over that list you see yourself in one category--or even in several. This isn’t a call to be discouraged--but to have hope! You are not alone in these struggles. These are things all of humanity wrestle with. We want these lessons of Restore, not to bring you to despair, but to begin to reframe how you see your story and your struggles.
It’s important to see the themes that run through your story. Don’t see your life as random events--see what ties all those events together, and what defines your life. You may be discouraged as you see these common struggles running deeply throughout your life--but don’t be. After all, scientists must first identify the problems before they can make the vaccine.
And ultimately, we have hope because we are not the ones who have to fix the virus’ warping. We can’t. We’re not going to save our world. Only the one who made our world can do that. And before Adam even became Patient Zero, God had a plan of how he was going to bring his healing into the world.
Common struggles twist our lives, and leave our souls discouraged. But God offers us a way of hope, a way of restoration back to what he designed us to be.
Next week, we’ll dive into what God’s design for us was--and what he intends for it to be. This week, as you take the time to write out your story, and face the themes of the common struggles that you fight, take heart. God has promised us his power, and his love, to give us rest and healing.
Prayer: Lord, we have so many places where sin has affected our lives. We have let our common struggles define us, more than your love. Give us open eyes to our struggles. Forgive us, wash us clean as you have promised, and let us walk in your love and truth. God, your love for us is so great, and beckons us to come close to you. Help us to find comfort in you this week, as we look at our stories so far, and look ahead to what you will do with them. Amen.
