Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Mental assent

Of course, we can give mental assent: “Yes, I'm a new creature, but...” Where you are really living comes after the but. “I'm a new creature, but...” But what? “But I sure do fail a lot.” Then that's the way you see yourself. You don't see yourself as a new creature. You see yourself as failing a lot. Instead you could say, “I sure do fail a lot, but I'm a new creature.” Then that's where you're living. You're always living after the but.— The Rest of the Gospel: When the partial Gospel has worn you out, page 100

<idle musing>
He's going to talk a lot about the "Holy But", as he calls it. What we place after the but in a sentence is what we really think, believe, and act on. Take note of where the but comes in your speech, and you'll agree with him. I have found it to be quite revealing in my own life after I read this; you might, too.
<idle musing>

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