The culture of [Christians] in the church today is crippled by some very pervasive lies. ‘To be spiritual is to be busy. To be spiritual is to be disciplined. To be spiritual is to be dutiful.’ No, to be spiritual is to be in Romance with God. A wound that goes unacknowledged and unwept is a wound that cannot heal.
John Eldredge
Much has been written regarding the crisis in masculinity, and so it should be. It should continue until we make right all that is wrong. Possibly our greatest challenge is getting on the same page regarding the problem plaguing men. Men are casualties of an ancient and relentless masculine identity crisis. They suffer from a lostness that regenerates itself generation after generation.
Men have it in them to …
rise up, contribute, offer, provide, and protect,
but countless of them are wounded and taken out by confusion, fear, and uncertainty. Too often they go limp when confronted with the trials and challenges necessary to make a man a man. Men have long suffered from being ill-equipped, ill-trained, and ill-prepared to play their part. The effect is cumulative. Many factors contribute to the crisis of masculinity. But if we follow the tripwire to its source, the wounds and injuries we men carry are due to a lack of love—the kind of love received by a son from his father which makes him a man.
If we can pinpoint what ails us and its source, then we can and should go for treatment.
An excerpt from The Heart of a Warrior.
