I woke this morning from a dream in which passions were blinding judgment with justifications. I saw, as an observer of myself, how desire worked to set a course for completion paved with justifications before any actions were taken or thoughts were communicated.
This exposed a vulnerability. This blinding effect took place much sooner than I would've thought. The imagination was actively seeking to fulfill desire. Passions, aroused by this expectation, quickly progressed from a disturbance to a storm to a hurricane.
As with a weather system forming off shore, a likely course of land destruction could be predicted. All of this took place before any outward expression of intent.
When I first opened my mouth in the dream, it was clear to me as an observer that I was seeking to follow the desire through to completion by the words I was choosing. I was seeking to get another to join me in my intended plan.
I could see the seed of iniquity had been sown through the window of the imagination and had been noticed but not reported by the guard standing at the door of my conscience.
The old man was already working on a plot to conceal it from judgment while quietly nurturing it off in a corner until it was too well established to simply pluck up and destroy. This was beginning to block the gate of my conscience and was already casting a shadow by blocking light.
I could see how the 5 step process was helping to better expose and identify toxins which had been previously ingested without notice. These toxins weakened faith and resulted in making excuses to hide vulnerabilities which couldn't be understood instead of seeking qualified assistance.
Asking, "Why am I weak? I'll go to work anyway... Probably not contagious."
The 5 Steps focus us on our need for daily health checks. We cannot labor at the altar with infirmities. We must labor in strength of perfect faith. When we nurture infirmities we are perfecting sin in the heart... the very thing we are asking the Lord to purge.
Let us not overlook the signs of weakened wills for fear of being dismissed from our duties but be quick to seek remedy from Christ through His chief stewards who are trained and equipped to apply His healing balm, bind up, and even set bones when needed.
For He has sent them as helpers of our joy.