Social Pain Or a God Shaped Vacuum?

I recently became aware of the term Social Pain in a couple different places: Psychology Today, HealthLine, and in the book, Where Do We Go From Here by David Jeremiah. Neuroscientists in Italy have discovered that “social pain” activates the same brain regions as physical pain. The researchers also found that witnessing the social pain of another person activated a similar physical pain response of empathy in most test subjects. Social pain is the experience of pain as a result of interpersonal rejection or loss, such as rejection from a social group, bullying, or the loss of a loved one.

The COVID 19 pandemic made the problem worse, taking people from the workplace and schools and forcing them to live in isolation. However, Dr. Jeremiah says that the root cause of disconnection is spiritual in nature, and I whole-heartedly agree. When we are disconnected from God, we don't have the love, peace, joy, kindness or patience to show others. He says we become isolated in our self-centeredness.

I find myself thinking about “Social Pain” this disconnection from God and feeling that there is more to it than just the result of losses in/of relationships. I believe this pain for many people, can also be attributed to the God shaped hole or vacuum in the lives of unbelievers, or believers who have fallen away.

Several years ago, while teaching about famous mathematicians in history, I can across Blaise Pascal. I was delighted to learn that this famous mathematician was actually one of the great Christian minds in the 17th century. Referring to the spiritual condition of mankind he famously said, “There is a God–shaped vacuum in the heart of each man, which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.”

King Solomon expressed the same concept in  Ecclesiastes 3:11 when he says that God “has put eternity into man’s heart.” Even though His image in us is scarred by sin, within every human soul we have an awareness that there is something more than what this world offers. Because of this awareness, when we are separated from God, our sin-sick, rebellious hearts are desperately running after things to fill the place reserved in our hearts exclusively for God. Many of mans' depraved actions are because of this desperate attempt to fill that place in our hearts that should be, NEEDS to be filled by God.

While Social Pain is definitely due to losses in relationships or lack of relationships, The lack of belief in God, the God Shaped Hole, also contributes greatly to Social Pain. The lack of God in our lives, to me, is the ultimate Social Pain. How completely horrible it is for those living their lives without God. This is another reason to reach out to others and share the Good News of the Gospel, and pray for them.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Two Sides of a Coin

 

Sin creates a a deep inconsistency between who we are, and who we were created to be. The law in the Old Testament shows us our sin and points us to God for saving and healing. Many died because of Adam's sin, but many have been saved because of God's grace- Jesus' death on the cross.

Sin and righteousness are two sides of a coin. We feel the presence of Christ and the pressure of sin. We delight in the peace we experience when we have been made right with God, but we still struggle daily with problems that often help us grow. If we remember the two sides of this Christian coin, we will not become discouraged when facing life's trials. We will learn to depend on the power given to us from Christ, who lives in us.

The book of Romans says we should rejoice in suffering because we know God is using life's difficulties and Satan's attacks to build our character. Problems/suffering help us grow. We know that God is using life's difficulties to build our character, develop our perseverance which in turn strengthens our character and deepens our trust in God.

God gave His only son to suffer and die on the cross in order to save us from sin. He allows us to suffer to save us by building character, which deepens our trust in God.  Romans 5:3-4

Resources for Sharing

 

We talked today about books that we could share with others whom we are trying to share Christ.

A New Beginning pamphlet $2.00 at christiansbooks.com

From Billy Graham Association Stone Croft, Millie shared this card and it's available to download and print for free: 

• Wallet Size: https://static.billygraham.org/sites/billygraham.org/uploads/pro/2013/03/30021329/Wallet-SizeStepstoPeacewithGod2.pdf
• Printer Friendly: https://static.billygraham.org/sites/billygraham.org/uploads/pro/2013/03/30021329/Printer-FriendlyStepstoPeacewithGod2.pdf

From the Resource list in Contagious Faith: Mama Bear Apologetics Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Curtal Lies

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mama-Bear-Apologetics-Empowering-Challenge/dp/0736976159/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2IMBHXAFT7GAM&keywords=mama+bear+apologetics+empowering+your+kids+to+challenge+cultural+lies&qid=1668122526&sprefix=mama+bear+apologetics+empowering+your+kids+to+challenge+cultural+lies%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-1

From InterVarsity International Student Ministry

Bible (NIV) passages you could use in communicating the good news.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
 

Philippians 2:6-8  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made inhuman likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
 

1 Corinthians 15:3-5  For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
 

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
 

Romans 10:9-10  If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
 

Ephesians 2:8-9  For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God  not by works, so that no one can boast.
 

Ephesians 2:19-20  Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,  built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
 

John 15:10 & 13  “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Know Why You Believe

 This book was recommended by Tracey, and it is now in my Amazon cart. 

Amazon: Know Why You Believe by Paul E. Little  

Christian Books

Do science and Scripture conflict? Are miracles possible? Is Christian experience real? Why does God allow suffering and evil?

These are just a few of the twelve most common intellectual challenges to faith that Paul E. Little encountered during his twenty-five years of speaking and teaching in the university. These questions need solid answers, and that's what a million people have already found in this clear and reasonable response to the toughest questions posed to Christian belief.

Sprinkling in a few "sure-fire jokes" and other humorous illustrations, Little uses these questions to jog readers' thinking and help them examine their present worldviews, ranging from scientific determinism to rabid existentialism. By thinking through the most common challenges to Christian faith, believers will be prepared to answer others out of the wellspring of their own certainty.

This edition, revised and updated by Marie Little in consultation with experts in science and archaeology, provides twenty-first-century information and offers solid ground for those who are willing to search for truth. Including a study guide for individuals or groups, Know Why You Believe is the classic answerbook on Christian faith.

Reasons - Questions - Answers

 As we discussed the Reason-Giving Style of Faith Sharing today, Susan shared the two questions unbelievers often have below.

Is the universe highly complex? Absolutely! Take a look around. Since our universe has amazing precision, could it have resulted from an explosion? William Paley gave a great example when he said that every watch requires a watchmaker. Imagine you're taking a walk through a forest near your home. Halfway through your walk  you look down and you see a beautiful gold watch lying near a tree stump. Immediately you wonder how it got there. Do you think, "did the wind and rain come together to form such a beautiful piece of art?" 

No, you would never think such ridiculous thing! You would think something like, I wonder if someone dropped this beautiful watch. You know that the watch was designed by a very talented watchmaker. It didn't result from the wind, rain, erosion, or an explosion. It has clear marks of design. It has a purpose, it conveys information, and it is specifically complex. 

The universe is much more precise and awe-inspiring than that watch. The same characteristics we use to recognize design and something like a watch are the characteristics we use to recognize design in nature. When Isaac Newton studied our solar system he said, "this most beautiful system of the Sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being." 

One of the most powerful arguments that the universe has an Intelligent Designer is the anthropic principle, which states that the earth is perfectly designed for life. For instance if the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere was only slightly higher, materials would too easily catch fire. If the carbon dioxide levels were slightly higher, Earth would have a super-hot environment like Venus. If they were lower, plants would not be able to survive.

There are also more than 100 precisely defined constants describing the structure of our universe. One is gravity. If the strength of gravitational force were altered by the tiniest fraction (1 x 1036 or 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000001%), our sun would not exist, and we wouldn't either! Other constants, such as the strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force, and electromagnetism have to be exactly balance, otherwise life anywhere would be impossible.

If God created the world, why does evil exist? Did God create evil?

This is a question that has plagued many people through the history of mankind. It is important to realize that evil was not created in the sense that a rock or a tree was created. Rather, evil is something that occurs and exists. Evil is the absence of good. For example, consider a plot of dirt that is ready to be planted with vegetables. The gardener digs holes in preparation for planting the seeds. What are those holes? In reality the holes are just the absence of dirt. In the same way, darkness is the absence of light and cold is the absence of heat. Evil is the absence of good. When God created the universe, all that existed was good. God gave humans the freedom to choose good. In order for them to choose good, He allowed another choice - evil.

Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?

Natural disasters kill thousands of people, a father hurts his children, cancer plagues a child. We often ask, "why do these things happen?" When God created the first humans, He allowed Adam and Eve the freedom to choose right or wrong. They chose wrong and evil entered the world. Often, bad things happen as a result of evil in the world. Sometimes bad things happen as a result of someone's bad decision. For example, someone driving drunk kills an innocent person. God's creation of that person did not cause him or her to drive drunk. It was a wrong choice that the driver made. In our circumstances, remember that God has a greater good, a good bigger than ourselves. The best person who ever lived, Jesus, suffered greatly for God's greater good.

No matter what situations we face, we can be certain that God is in control of the ultimate outcome whether we are there to witness it or not. God will bring about a greater good from a desperate situation.

Why Believe by Investigate Evidence for Faith By: Melissa Houdmann

Sunflowers and Jesus

 

Sunflowers are fascinating plants. Indigenous to North America, they can grow up to a height of 30 feet, but that's not event the most amazing thing about them. Sunflowers exhibit a behavior called heliotropism which means that they follow the sun. At dawn, they face east and as the sun makes its trek across the sky throughout the day, the flowers turn their faces to track its journey. This ensures that the plants get the light they need to thrive. In the same way, people need light too.

The light of Christ came into this world 2,000 years ago, and it hasn't stopped since. But unlike our sun that shines at predictable times and ways, God's Son shines through people just like you and me.

The Christian writer C.S. Lewis once remarked, “I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun, not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything.” When we help others to see their story as part of the story, that light shines in us.

When we call and check on the people God has put into our lives, that light shines in us. When we refuse to become discouraged at the news coming from our TV's and computers and trust that despite any and all evidence to the contrary, God's got this, that light shines in us. It shines when, like those sunflowers, we set our faces toward the Son and follow wherever He goes.

One more cool sunflower fact – a sunflower isn't just one flower. Inside the head of the average sunflower are between 800-1000 tiny smaller flowers, arranged in a series of interlocking spirals. Each one is capable of producing a sunflower seed. From just one plant, if the conditions are right, you can end up with 1000 more.

That's the source of abundance that the Creator fashioned in this amazing flower, and He fashioned it in us too. When we let our light shine, and we share our stories with others, a seed is planted. Each time we do this we have no way of knowing the sort of yield it may have. It could be that a seed we plant doesn't take root, or it could be that it does, and it produces 30, 60, 100, maybe even 1000 more. And each time it does, those seeds can grow on to keep producing, and their seeds can grow on to keep producing. So, no matter what, keep on shining! Keep sharing the light so that others may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

Chapters 3-7 Outlines

 Contagious Faith Styles

Style #1 Friendship-Building

Key Skills:

1. Start and Strengthen Relationships

• Deepen Current Friendships

• Renew Lapsed Friendships

• Start New Friendships

2. Initiate Spiritual Conversations

• Bridge from Standard Topics to Spiritual Ones

• Ask Curiosity Questions

• Turn Invitations into Conversations

3. Invite Friends into Life-changing Environments

• Tailor Invitations to Interests and Needs

• Provide Printed Information

• Bring Your Friend with You

Cautions Concerning the Friendship-Building Style

• Stay Genuine

• Establish Boundaries

• Prioritize Truth

Style #2 Selfless-Serving

Key Skills:

1. Nurture a Spirit of Empathy

2. Make Room fort Divine Interruptions

3. Develop Discernment about Who to Serve

Cautions Concerning the Self Style

• Serve without Conditions

• Explain What Motivates You

Style #3 Story-Sharing

Key Skills:

1. Use Questions to Draw Out Your Friend's Spiritual Beliefs

2. Communicate Your Story around a Natural Outline

• Discovery

• Decision

• Difference:

3. Relate Your Story to Your Friend's Situation

Cautions Concerning the Story-Sharing Style

• Embrace Your Story

• Tailor to Your Audience

• Speak in Plain English

Style #4 Reason-Giving

Key Skills:

1. Be Prepared to Give Sound Answers and Evidence

2. Respond to Questions with Gentleness and Respect

3. Move from Good Answers to the Good News

Cautions Concerning the Reason Giving Style

• Clarify the Question

• Study Up

• Admit It When You Don't Know

• Win People, Not Arguments

• Expect a Little Tension

Style #5 Truth-Telling

Key Skills:

1. Be Bold in Initiating Spiritual Conversations

2. Get to the Central Message of the Gospel

3. Ask People to Respond to the Gospel

Cautions Concerning the Truth-Telling Style

• Seek God's Guidance and Wisdom

• Resist Being Overly Cautious

• Affirm the Other Styles