Link to Ruthies Page and Figure 8 tool: http://cravinggrace.org/?menu=the-gospel-eight
Link to June's Newsletter:
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Ruthie Delk created this Gospel Eight diagram many years ago and it can be used in so many ways depending on where the other person, or even myself is at any given moment. It walks through the gospel, grace, identity, idolatry, and our choices throughout life. I personally love walking through this resource with ladies to help them find freedom from what they believe about themselves in the past, present, and the future.
Each aspect of this picture is interrelated and important to our understanding and walk with Christ. How many people feel rejected, abused, hurt, or angry in life? The bottom circle shows what life is like without Christ or when we are not walking with Him. Many women who walk into TMEW can relate massively to the emotions and heaviness of that bottom circle. They can relate to trying to do things on their own and failing. They can relate to trying to ignore or blame others. They truly understand. Everything seems like a weight on their back, and they feel continually defined by what they have done or what has been done to them. It takes so much work to put one foot in front of another. They feel if they work harder, they can gain the approval of others, or in some cases get to see their kids again. They believe that if they change enough their family will love them again. The weight of change and acceptance is on them. This can lead to isolation. This leads to destruction. But there is a different choice. The top circle shows what happens when we repent and rely on Christ for our life and identity, freedom from the weight of this world! We are forgiven because He is our forgiver. We are healed because He is our healer. We are loved because He is our lover and so much more. The weight on our back of earthly acceptance, works, and identity are lifted. When we repent, we get rest. We get a new identity. We get freedom. There will be times that we fall again. Then we look into the perfect law, our mirror (James 1:25), and we realize that we need to change. It is then we are in the center of the figure 8, do we rest in or resist the gospel? That choice decides if we will rest in the upper circle or suffer in the lower. I’ve seen women gain a new understand of themselves walking through this diagram. They see the weights on the figures in the bottom and can name them for themselves. “This is my ex-husband telling me I’m worthless,” or “this is the blame I keep on myself.” They can see that those weights are creating bitterness, anger, and fear. Then we walk through the upper circle where the weights are gone! God takes the harsh words of another and replaces it with healed and loved. God takes the blame that weights us down and gives us forgiveness and redemption. It is that grace we crave like chocolate! |
