Reflections on 1 Corinthians 2:14
“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:14, NIV)
Phillips says it plainly: “you must be spiritual to see spiritual things.” Dr. Tim Jennings of Come and Reason Ministries, in The Remedy, shows what the “foolishness” really is: the truth “about God’s character of selfless love; such absolute love is foolishness to them.” To a heart still ruled by self, Love that gives everything simply doesn’t make sense.
But the heart that is healed is able to understand the truth about our God. The Holy Spirit brings this truth home to us. We love the truth because the Spirit of Love living in us is open to all that the Spirit of God brings.
The Fires of Truth and Love are removing the selfish blockage from our hearts and minds. As they do, we can take in more and more of the Fire flowing from God. The current needs to flow unhindered, in perfect circulation through us and out to others.
I see this every day in my healing work. Anytime there is blockage, there is pain and disease. And the other side is just as true: when there is pain, there is blockage somewhere. Whether a disease is clogging up the system or an injury has created it, pain comes from blockage.
Fresh pain is a good thing. It tells us there is something that needs our attention. But in time we can grow numb to it. We can ignore it long enough, or numb it: with drugs for the body; with food or other poor substitutes, so we don’t feel so bad and can ignore our need of emotional healing; or spiritually, by making up rules for everyone to follow, so we can feel good about ourselves for keeping all the right ones while our hearts are still empty of saving grace.
The priests who nailed the Savior to the cross wanted Him taken down by sundown, so they could keep every rule and go home to celebrate the feast, having just murdered the very One it pointed to.
All of this is blockage: old, useless stuff clogging the healthy circulation of our bodies, our hearts, and our minds. It needs to be cleared out.
Each day we choose to do the hard work and allow the Lord to heal the painful places in our hearts. Each choice clears a little more of the blockage, and more of the healing Fire can pass through.
We will pass through the valley of the shadow of death more than once. Again and again we will surrender another cherished habit or comfort we have clung to for our own security. But the Lord is our fortress and stronghold. He is all we need. We may feel alone except for God, but what a great exception He is. We are completely surrounded with all the support, love, and care we could ever need or want.
The way into that support is to let go of the selfish, self-comforting habits we hold onto, and allow the Fires of Truth and Love to clear those places, so the Lord can fill them with what truly comforts and heals.
