Introduction
I was on a Zoom call with a friend of mine in Myanmar/Burma recently. In the midst of our conversation, after he shared true tales of the army destroying his/church property, friends interned in concentration camps, torture and COVID related deaths of people close to him, he had a breakdown. Trauma and regular sleeplessness do that to people; even the most robust. This is a big issue amongst Christian leaders. Of course, here in Australia you are more likely to be sustained by a combination of therapy and psychotropic medications than inner collapse. This is sad, because it robs many of the deepest penetrating presence of the Word of God (Hebrews chapter 4 verses 12-13). This teaching is NOT a pastoral piece, but an attempt to prophetically get to the root of why many otherwise psychologically healthy Christians live with post-traumatic stress and suffer burn out. If it is still true that there are as many who have left Church ministry as remain (http://www.jmm.org.au/articles/8061.htm), the subject is critical.
Kill Him
Jesus told the Pharisees, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John chapter 8 verse 44), Christ indicates that killing has been an essential part of the devil’s character since he first interacted with us in Eden. As such, we should view the Satan-inspired crucifixion of Jesus (Luke chapter 22 verse 3) as part of a grand diabolical plan to eventually annihilate the image of God in humanity. When the serpent proclaimed to the first couple, ““You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”” (Genesis chapter 3 verses 4-5) he lured then into taking on the moral and spiritual status of Godhead in their own eyes. We have all been born into this self-estimation of our own infallible insights! To be a sinner is to do what is right in your own eyes. The Spirit warns us against being right in our “own eyes” again and again (Proverbs chapters 3 verse 7, 12 verse 15 etc.). more worryingly the more right you believe you can do the more you are enslaved.
Treated Like God
The fallen condition I described above isn’t merely the territory of dictators, but even of godly persons of outstanding means and abilities. My friend Solomon has oversight over a number of churches in Myanmar and financially supports hundreds of children, recovering addicts, poor people, family and pastors across the nation. Unintentionally he has often been treated as though he is God; someone whose capacity to uplift the weak and needy is unbounded. This may be the sin of the Church, but one he has culturally and even, largely unintentionally, spiritually fostered. The recent crises in Myanmar that have engulfed his own life have been teaching him by the Spirit to respect the limits of his God-created humanity. No less a model than Jesus (1 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 1) teaches us what this might mean for us all.
Perfectly Human
In his freedom as God become human (John chapter 1 verse 14), Jesus was always able to submit to the will of the Father (John chapter 5 verse 19). As such he consistently refused to perform miracles when tempted to prove himself to be divine (Matthew chapter 4 verses 3-7; chapter 12 verse 39). The liberty of the Son of God allowed him to quietly draw aside to heal only one person amongst many ill (John chapter 5 verses 2-6). The Son did not have to be God-on-display as people imagined him to be (Psalm 50 verse 1). When asked for a legal ruling he retorted, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” (Luke chapter 12 verse 14). Christ enjoyed the liberty we are invited into as sons of God (Romans chapter 8 verse 21). He was never stressed by external agents (Mark chapter 4 verse 38). The holy mind of Christ taught him that there was a gap between the abilities of his deity and his humanity that could only be crossed from the side of eternity, not by human initiative. This is the secret of the glorious rest into which you and I are called (Matthew chapter 11 verse 28-30).
Conclusion
In taking humanity’s sin upon himself on the cross (2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21) Jesus endured the overwhelming burden of all our ungodly efforts to act like God. This totally crushed him (Mark chapter 15 verse 34), but makes it possible for us in him to be freed from the God-complex behind all drivenness, striving and A-type personality traits If in Adam we all ridiculously sought to be higher than the Lord, in Christ we can learn to be just ourselves. What a blessed relief. Have you dear reader been sufficiently crushed (2 Corinthians chapter 1 verses 8-9) to learn and delight in the God-ordained limits of your humanity?