Today as I was perusing the volumes of books in the Bible section in the library, my fingers drifted longingly across such titles as “Contagious joy,” “Emotional purity,” “Become Successful At Being You!” It then occurred to me, out of all these countless little pieces of intellectual gems, I would hardly have time to examine a handful of their value. My life is simply too exhausting at the moment. However, instead of sinking dismally into the despair of literary withdraw, I selected a few books and checked them out.
Looking at the books here on my desk, I suddenly realized a startling fact: I am a self-help book junkie. Each promising title guarantees that you will not only learn how to enjoy life to the fullest, get rid of all the negative aspects of your being, and become a well-balanced recovering emotion-holic, you will also learn the secrets to being the best single/girlfriend/wife/mother/whatever you could imagine.
I usually gulp in these promises eagerly, thinking that this next book will have those perfect golden words and suddenly every fragmented, broken piece of my life will come together and form an unique and mystical whole. I read the book before me, naively convicted that the author speaks immaculate principles, and bringing me closer to figuring out the great mystery of life, I usually pour over the book, desperately searching for meaning.
I really am quite an idiot.
While, I really am thankful that all these authors have taken the time to write down what they feel is important in life, I think depending on them for personal guidance is quite another matter entirely. In my experience, I’ve discovered that it really is all about: experience. I could have read a thousand times in a single’s book, “do not be fooled by men with flattering words,” but I would never really feel truly convicted about it until it happened in real life and I learned my lesson the painful way.
For my personality, I strive unendingly to find deep meaning, truth, and great significance in all facets of reality. If I think there is no answer, I am not really interested in working through the problem…even if it would teach me some great life lesson. So really, I could read through a million of these self-help books and they would never do me a smidgeon of good if I never get out there on the battlefield and try out the techniques. And really, when it comes down to it, sometimes you have to simply set the book down, suck it up, and just do it! Throw away your perfection and lists and indecisive reasoning…sometimes you have to ignore your feelings and MAKE a decision. Make the horrible mistakes, take chances, take risks, dare to hope, dare to love, and dare to fall flat on your face in failure.
All this being said, I would seem to be the most horrible of hypocrites if I offered self-help advice and then myself not even take it as valid. So, I will continue to pray that God will strengthen me and help me find balance, equilibrium, and meaning to this confusing thing called life! And I encourage all other self-help book junkie’s to do the same! <3
1 Corinthians 13: 4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Ephesians 3:16-21
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!
