J Heinrich Arnold-Freedom from sinful thoughts.pdf

F R E E D O M F R O M S I N F U L T H O U G H T S -H E A L I N GMurdered like Abel, this Brother nevertheless speaks for hismurderers instead of against them because he, though guiltless,has become one of them. He has become the only one who istruly theirs. And if he, the Son of Man, is for them, no one cancondemn them. From now on, no accusation has the power toprevent them from approaching God.This last sentence, about “approaching God,” is verysignificant. It speaks of the action we must take if wewant to find healing. For one person it might meansearching in silent prayer with outstretched hands; foranother, running toward him in the sense of activelyseeking him. But surely it cannot merely mean sittingthere, waiting for Jesus to come and cure us with amagical touch! We must have expectant hearts.The living spirit that God breathed into man at thedawn of creation remains in each of us only so long aswe seek nearness to him and to our fellow humanbeings, and only if we fulfill the commandments thatgive meaning to these relationships: first, “Love theLord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,and with all your mind;” and second, “Love yourneighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:37, 39).Another vital part of healing after a struggle withdarkness is the stand we take toward ourselves. Theattitude we take to fluctuations of our imagination, forinstance, can influence our entire emotional outlook.61