Careful What You Believe

Hello Emmanuel,

September will bring a new change to my newsletter.  September will be Ask Pastor Joe instead of Monday Morning Pulpit.  Submit your questions to me via email at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com.  I’ll give you an answer.  Who knows?  It might be a good one.

If you worry about the worst; look for the worst; expect the worst; then the worst just might happen.  In counseling terms this is called ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.  Self-fulfilling prophecy is when believing something hard enough causes behavior changes that actually bring that something to fruition.

I used to think this was a bunch of bunk.  I don’t anymore.

I once talked to a person who had emotional wounds from being abandoned as a child.  Her dad, mom, sister and first husband all walked out of her life without any provocation on her part.  She had very little in any kind of support network.  Needless to say, she lived in fear of other people abandoning her as well.

The result is that her defense mechanisms disallowed her to get close to anyone.  She was constantly on her guard, wanting to prevent any further emotional scars from anyone else.  In short, her behavior actually encouraged her fears to be realized and people began distancing themselves from her as a result of her actions.  She was scared of more people leaving her life and her fear caused her to behave in such a way that made her fears become realized…. Self-fulfilling prophecy.

I wonder if we Christians can turn that psychological phenomenon on its head and make it a positive force.  If you believe firmly enough that the Church is the hands and feet of God, would that not cause you to behave in such a manner that would cause the Church to be the hands and feet of God?  Would believing that God loves you make you more loving?  Would believing that God forgives you make you more forgiving?  I wonder.  The link of faith to behavior is not that far of a journey.  Indeed, it may be one in the same.  ‘Faith without works is dead’.  Hmmmm…

I invite you to believe really hard!  Expect the best from God.  Maybe the result of such faith will bring out the best in you.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe