Projection and “Reframing Our Experience” – Self-Deception Series 29 – Purity 1118

Projection and “Reframing Our Experience” –
Self-Deception Series 29 – Purity 1118

Purity 1118 08/11/2023 Purity 1118 Podcast

Purity 1118 on YouTube: 

Good morning,

Today’s work of art, “Going Out: Deer Hunting in the
Adirondacks” comes to us from Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait who put oil to canvas back
in 1862 to share the beauty of a “wilderness experience”.  Tait hailed from New York City but from his
work, we can assume he had some love for the great outdoors. I captured Tait’s
work with my iPhone camera while at the “Adirondack Experience Museum on Blue Mountain
Lake” and I thought I would share this artistic portion of my experience with
you. The caption that accompanied Tait’s painting, written by Samantha Lafond,
owner of Naturally Wild Taxidermy, stated: 

“One must truly experience nature to fully
appreciate all it has to offer.”

I guess looking at paintings of it just won’t do.
Sorry, Lafond goes on to write:

“An outdoorsman, or woman, is always excited about
the next pilgrimage that may lay ahead. Adventures in the great outdoors allow
us to thrive. They allow us to embrace new challenges and become a superior
self. After a successful day’s hunt, good company, and a night’s rest, A. F.
Tait shouts “see you down the line” to his good friend while his Adirondack
guide “Captain” Calvin Parker prepares the boat for another great day in the
wilderness”.  

Can I tell you; I love the great outdoors, I love
looking at paintings of it, and I love the captions that inform us of some of
the details about the artists and the scenes they create but if we consider their
words honestly, we can realize that Tait isn’t the only one painting a picture
here.  If we read into Lafond’s comments,
we may question whether or not we are really an “outdoorsman” because we are
inside, looking at “art”  of all things, and
could walk away a little dejected if we aren’t “always excited about the next
pilgrimage that may lay ahead” or don’t feel our outdoor excursions are making
us into a “superior self”. 

And I guess we will just have to take it on faith
that the people in this painting are who Lafond says they are – is that really
Tait and Parker near that guide boat – is that really what they looked like,
really? I wonder…  

And is Tait really saying, “see you down the line”? –
because the look on those other men’s faces don’t seem too friendly, and that
guy in the front of the other boat seems to be holding his oar as if he is
responding to a curse from some “city slicker” more than he’s waving “howdy”…
or at least it looks that way to me. 

But maybe my view and interpretation of this
painting is a little clouded because I don’t hunt and don’t feel I have attained
to my “superior self” as a great outdoorsman yet, and as someone who was raised
as a small town “city dweller”, fear I never will!

I may be attributing thoughts and feelings to this
painting that aren’t necessarily true.

How we “frame things” can really affect how we see
them.  If you notice, I tried to crop out
the frame that was around this painting because I didn’t want the border to
affect our appreciation of the original work. 
For better or worse, I wanted to present the painting as much as I could
as it was.

One of the exhibits at the Adirondack Experience
Museum demonstrates what a difference “framing” makes. The exhibit presents
three different paintings and three different colored frames that you can
remove and place as you see fit.  The
quality of the presentation was positively or negatively affected depending on
the color scheme of the painting and how it was complimented by or clashed with
the color of the frame.

But that judgment of quality too was subjective, as
we would project our preferences and the way we “saw it” to determine what frame
went best with each painting, making us “like it” or “hate it.”

And that brings us to our current series on Self-Deception,
where we have decided to investigate some of the ways we deceive ourselves by
walking through Step 2, Deception Vs. Truth, of the Steps to Freedom in Christ
to see what ways we may have been deceived by “the world” and ourselves and in
what ways we have wrongly defended ourselves. 

So we present the sixth of the  “Ways to Wrongly Defend Yourself”:

6. Projection

The Steps to Freedom in Christ describes projection
as “attributing to another what you find unacceptable in yourself.”  

To give an example of projection, I share the
following passage about parenting teenagers from Meier, et al’s book,
introduction to Psychology and Counseling – Christian Perspectives and
Applications. 

“Parents generally view a teen-age son or daughter in one of three
ways. Some parents project their own sinful impulses onto their teenagers,
suspecting their teenagers of doing things of which they are not guilty.
Other parents automatically assume that their teenagers are extensions of
themselves. Both attitudes are unrealistic. The third, healthy, way is empathy.
Parents who empathize with their teenagers accept them as separate individuals
and try to understand them and their struggles. Especially in discussing
sexual matters with their teenagers, parents should be sure they are not
projecting unwarranted suspicion or assuming that their children think
exactly as they do.^[1]”

Projection is associated with deception because it wrongly assumes
something is true about someone else.  Although
this passage and the Steps to Freedom’s description lead us to associate
projection with negative, sinful, or unacceptable attributes, the opposite is
also true. In our example, the second error that parents can make about their
teenage children is that they are extensions of themselves, i.e. “they are just
like me” in a good way – holding the same values, preferences, etc. – is also a
form of projection.

To quote a Susan Kolod’s article (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychoanalysis-unplugged/202105/how-spot-projection-are-those-their-feelings-or-yours)
 on projection: 

“People project all the time and it’s neither good nor bad,
depending on which qualities are projected and whether or not they are denied
in the self.

Projection can be the basis of wonderful qualities such as
empathy, generosity, and romantic feelings—or negative qualities such as rage,
greed, and contempt.

Projection both helps people to fall in love and also to hate and
revile others.”  

So in the example of parenting teenagers, we could think the best
or worst about them based on our projections. 
The “best practice” of any relationship is to accept others as separate
individuals and try to understand them and their struggles for what they
actually are, not what we assume they are. A healthy dose of truth and insight
into what one another is thinking can really help our relationship because we
often project, assume, and react to things that aren’t true.   

Beyond our relationships, understanding projection can also help
us to understand ourselves as an examination of our projections can reveal to
us unconscious emotions are desires that we are denying.  So the way we view and respond to others may
have a lot to say about ourselves.   

In regard to the way we live as Christians, we need to judge
things according to the truth and whole counsel of God’s word, accepting God’s,
not man’s standards, for what is right and wrong and balancing it with the love
of Jesus who paradoxically taught us to love our enemies. In our dealings with
our neighbors, we need to understand the propensity for sin in the hearts of
our fellow men but be sure to “not judge others”.  Jesus tells us.

Matthew 7:2 (NLT2)
²  For you will be treated as
you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you
will be judged.

Jesus is in effect telling us that the
standard we project on others will be projected on us, and He directs us to
take our high level of critical discernment and to look at the man in the
mirror, to concern ourselves with taking care of the “plank” or “log” in our own
eyes before concerning ourselves with the “speck” in our neighbor’s eye. The indication
is, that when we repent and successfully overcome our own sinful inclinations,
we will have more compassion, empathy, wisdom, and care in encouraging others
to overcome theirs.   

So to put that in terms that people of
my hip-hop-loving generation can understand check yourself before you wreak
yourself.  Endeavor to live by the truth
of God’s word and be sure to examine what you are thinking about someone else
to see if it’s true, and to see if it might be reflecting the struggles of your
own mind and heart.     

And if you are projecting, harsh or
negative attributes onto God that more accurately reflect your earthly father
or other imperfect figures of authorities from your life, be sure to “check
yourself” there too because our God may be just, righteous, and holy but He is
also good, faithful, patient, gently, loving, and kind. 

When it comes to correcting projection,
we need to seek the truth and allow it to set us free.   

——————————————————————————————–

Today’s
Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By
John G. Kruis.

(
While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick
google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late
author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )

This
morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on Affliction, Discipline,
Chastisement, & Trials.

Isaiah 38:15-19 (NIV2011)
¹⁵  But what can I say? He
has spoken to me, and he himself has done this. I will walk humbly all my years
because of this anguish of my soul.
¹⁶  Lord, by such things
people live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health
and let me live.
¹⁷  Surely it was for my
benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of
destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.
¹⁸  For the grave cannot
praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot
hope for your faithfulness.
¹⁹  The living, the
living—they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about
your faithfulness.

Today’s
verse fall under the fifteenth point of our counseling reference guide
resource’s section on Affliction, Discipline, Chastisement, & Trials

 15. “King Hezekiah praised God for loving
discipline.

Today’s verses show us how
the right view of God can give us an interpretation of our suffering that is
contrary to the reality of the experience. 
Suffering is a bad thing after all. Pain hurts. Loss hurts.  In and of themselves, it is difficult to view
pain or loss as a “good thing” and to keep us from becoming masochists who
would proclaim that it “hurts so good” let’s keep it real by admitting to the reality
of the negative aspect of our pain and loss. We don’t want to live in denial
after all by saying bad experiences are really good, because they are not. 

However, at the same time,
when we can look past the pain of our suffering and see that it resulted in some
positive effects, like our maturity or simply learning to “never do that again”,
or that it is part of God’s purposes in some way the pain is “reframed”, so it
doesn’t continue to be a source of anguish or bitterness. 

The loss of our loved ones
hurts like hell, but in reality we are all destined to die – we couldn’t live
forever after all. 

However, in Christ, we do
live forever. 

So the loss of our loved
ones, if they were in Christ, could be, and gently say should be, “reframed” so
it:

·       isn’t a constant source of
anguish – for our good, God wants us to accept the way things work in His
kingdom and trust that He has things in control.

·       Is seen as a good thing
for our lost loved one – they are no longer suffering on the earth and are in
the splendor of God’s kingdom, their pain is gone, their suffering is gone,
they know the truth of the mystery of God’s kingdom, they are with God, they have
joy, and we will see them again.  

·       Is seen as a part of God’s
purposes.  It may seem tragic to us, but
it all went (oh even the pain and suffering) went according to God’s plan, we
were meant to experience this way because that way it was supposed to be.

When we reflect on the
details of Christ’s passion, we could second guess the Lord and wonder why
Jesus had to suffer the things he did, to that extreme, etc.  – but Jesus knew what the plan was and
because of the JOY set before Him (of the Father’s, Son’s, and Holy Spirit’s
will being done and for our salvation) and suffered the cross.  God’s plan included suffering but when we
realize the results we realize it was good one all the same.  

As for those who reject
the Lord, we know they wouldn’t have been happy in His presence after life –
they didn’t seek His company on earth so why condemn them to be in His company
in eternity? Those who reject the Lord make themselves God and rightly are
punished for their iniquities. They freely chose their path away from the Lord
and they must walk it out. 

King Hezekiah was
suffering greatly and was on the verge of death, but He knew that God was good.
Even though He suffered He considered it good because, despite his physical
pain and death that would eventually stop his time on earth, Hezikiah
considered the discipline of the Lord to be a good thing because God’s love
kept him from the “pit of destruction”.  

So know that God is good
and do your best to “reframe” your suffering to look beyond the pain and loss to
rest in His peace, here on earth and in eternity forever more.

——————————————————————–

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I
always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to
assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from  The Holy Spirit By A.W. Pink.

As always, I share this information for educational
purposes and encourage you all to purchase A.W. Pink’s books for your own
private study and to support his work.  This resource is available online
for $0.99 (https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Spirit-Arthur-Pink-Collection-ebook/dp/B008CM5292/ref=sr_1_3?crid=AHKAQOM39CTN&keywords=a.w.+pink+the+holy+spirit&qid=1684376225&sprefix=a.w.+pink+the+holy+spirit+%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-3) 

A.W. Pink’s The Holy Spirit

19 –The Spirit Teaching

Tests
for the Spirit’s Teaching

From all that has been said above a very
pertinent question arises, How may I know whether or not my teaching has been by the Holy Spirit? The simple but sufficient
answer is, By the effects produced.
First, that spiritual knowledge which the teaching of the Holy Spirit imparts
is an operative knowledge. It is not
merely a piece of information which adds to our mental store, but is a species
of inspiration which stirs the soul into action. “For God, who commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in
our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). The light which the Spirit imparts reaches
the heart. It warms the heart, and sets it on fire for God. It masters the
heart, and brings it into allegiance to God. It molds the heart, and stamps
upon it the image of God. Here, then, is a sure test: how far does the teaching
you have received, the knowledge of Divine things you possess, affect your heart?

Second, that
knowledge which the teaching of the Spirit imparts is a soul-humbling knowledge. “Knowledge puffeth up” (1 Cor. 8:1),
that is a notional, theoretical, intellectual knowledge which is merely
received from men or books in a natural
way. But that spiritual knowledge
which comes from God reveals to a man his empty conceits, his ignorance and
worthlessness, and abases him. The teaching of the Spirit reveals our
sinfulness and vileness, our lack of conformity to Christ, our unholiness; and
makes a man little in his own eyes. Among those born of women was not a greater
than John the Baptist: wondrous were the privileges granted him, abundant the
light he was favored with. What effect had it on him? “He it is, who coming
after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose” (John 1:27). Who was granted such an
insight into heavenly things as Paul! Did he herald himself as “The greatest
Bible teacher of the age?” No. “Unto me, who am less than the least of all
saints” (Eph. 3:8). Here, then, is a sure test: how far does the teaching you
have received humble you?

Third, that knowledge
which the teaching of the Holy Spirit imparts is a world-despising knowledge. It makes a man have poor, low, mean
thoughts of those things which his unregenerate fellows (and which he himself,
formerly) so highly esteem. It opens his eyes to see the transitoriness and
comparative worthlessness of earthly honors, riches and fame. It makes him
perceive that all under the sun is but vanity and vexation of spirit. It brings
him to realize that the world is a flatterer, a deceiver, a liar, and a
murderer which has fatally deceived the hearts of millions. Where the Spirit
reveals eternal things, temporal things are scorned. Those things which once
were gain to him, he now counts as loss; yea, as dross and dung (Phil. 3:4–9).
The teaching of the Spirit raises the heart high above this poor perishing
world. Here is a sure test: does your
knowledge of spiritual things cause you to hold temporal things with a light
hand, and despise those baubles which others hunt so eagerly?

Fourth, the knowledge
which the teaching of the Spirit imparts is a transforming knowledge. The light of God shows how far, far short
we come of the standard Holy Writ reveals, and stirs us unto holy endeavors to
lay aside every hindering weight, and run with patience the race set before us.
The teaching of the Spirit causes us to “deny ungodliness and worldly lusts,”
and to “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus
2:12). “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). Here, then,
is a sure test: how far does my knowledge of spiritual things influence my
heart, govern my will, and regulate my life? Does increasing light lead to a
more tender conscience, more Christlike character and conduct? If not, it is
vain, worthless, and will only add to my condemnation.^[2]

—————————more
tomorrow————————

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage
Breaker”, “Freedom in Christ” series of Discipleship Classes via the
mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

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These teachings are also available on the
MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and
to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian
encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her
Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on
Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

For those who require the assistance of a Deeper
Walk International Prayer Minister to experience healing or your freedom in
Christ, I highly recommend Christy Edge’s Life on the Edge Freedom Prayer
Ministry. You can schedule a session by going to : https://cedge216.wixsite.com/life-on-the-edge     

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this
publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to
reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries,
or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication,
and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the
author may represent.”

Encouragement
for the Path of Christian Discipleship