Monday, September 18, 2006

God complex


It seems I hear the term "God complex" every other day through the news media, in my college classes, work at the shelter, in books, etc. Lately I've wondered if I might have such a complex as I have this burning desire to right the injustices in the world, to feed the hungry, to care for the hurting, to rescue the abused...Today I looked up the definition and found that it is defined in a more negative way than I imagined.

Wikapedia says, "A god complex is a colloquial term used to portray a perceived character flaw as if it were a 'psychological complex'. The person who is said to have a 'god complex' does not believe he is God, but is said to act so arrogantly that he might as well believe he is a god or appointed to act by a god."

God has given me the gift of mercy so in a sense I believe He has appointed me to do the things He has laid on my heart. However, my perception of my calling is far from arrogant. God could have given the same desire He gave me to a million more capable people. I feel a bit like Moses when he repeatedly questioned God's plan and even told God that he could not "speak" or lead the people out of Egypt. Last summer in my travels on the African continent I found myself in situations I couldn't have imagined and would have thought I might just freeze up if I knew I would be faced with such circumstances. However, God gave me grace for each moment: the strange ones, the scary ones, the public speaking moments, the blind faith choices, the utter dependance on God and the hospitatity of strangers, etc.

He is so good and so able to take a crooked, clumsy vessel and use it for His beautiful purposes. I'm so excited to be in His hands.


"But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him." Jeremiah 18:4