The other week I received an email from an old friend dealing with a challenging situation. Although I often don’t hear from people until they are in crisis, it was good hearing from him. Even though the situation bringing us back in contact wasn’t pleasant, it’s good connecting with an old friend again.
In the course of our conversation, the term ‘reprobate’ came up as part of his response to a situation that perplexed me.
Although I haven’t used the term in a while, it started me thinking about it in terms of affairs. It’s one of those terms that makes its rounds in theology circles, but you don’t hear in daily conversation.
The modern equivalent would be someone who is so abandoned to the affair that they’re lost. At that point, they’ve given into the affair and are in so deep, they can’t see straight.
It totally possible that you get so deep into a relationship that you lose all sense of direction, morality and common sense. You may even lose track of time and what’s truly important in your life.
One sure sign that you’re in that deep is when you pray that God will stop you or put obstacles in the way to keep the affair from happening again. Rather than seeking self-discipline and the ability to say ‘no’, you instead look for obstacles to keep you from indulging in the affair.
At this point, you’re not saying no to the affair. You are giving into it and wanting God to use Divine interventions in order to keep you from doing what you are determined to do.
When you’ve reaching that point, you are ‘in deep’. When you are in the affair so deep that you ask for obstacles, you’ve lost control.
You are so far past where you could touch bottom that you don’t know how far down the bottom is.
Although you’re not beyond help or hope, you are in deeper than you realize. At this point, your thinking and focus are messed up. Your internal compass is no longer on ‘true north‘.
At this point, your sense of navigation and direction can’t be counted on. Someone has reprogrammed your brain to where you can’t trust it.
When you or your spouse is in this deep, you need help. Even though you don’t think you need help, you need all the help you can get.
This is where membership in the Restored Lifestyle group helps. There you can get your head and heart back to where they need to be. It will take some daily effort, yet in the long run, you can find restoration.
Keeping It Real,
Jeff
