Reality Therapy

William Glasser wrote a book titled Reality Therapy. It is a wonderful book with some helpful approaches to men's fears and unhealthy reactions. Jesus modeled some reality therapy on the lake early one morning. He had sent his disciples in their boat ahead of him while he prayed in the hills overlooking Bethsaida. While they struggled against the wind and waves on an angry lake, he decides to walk by them. But when they see him, they suppose that he is a ghost, and they become very frightened. Take into account their mental state. They have had little sleep for days. They are exhausted from rowing for several hours. They are, no doubt, irritated. Their retreat was cut short by the persistent and hungry crowds of thousands. The sun is beginning to come up and they see a lone figure walking by on the lake. Fright! Fear! It was caused by a cognative distortion. They jumped to a false conclusion. It's a ghost!

Jesus could have ridiculed them for such an unfounded fear. "What's wrong with you guys? There is no such thing as ghosts!" He could have ignored their fears and "played along" making wierd sounds like a ghost drawing them into their fear. He could have simply ignored them and let them think what they wanted claiming it was not his problem to straighten out their thinking. But instead he said, "Take courage; it is I; do not be afraid." (Mark 6:50) He applied some reality therapy. He simply told them the truth.

Paul encountered a similar situation in Corinth. Read 1 Corinthians 8:1-7. Some new Christians were made afraid in eating meat which had been sacrificed to idols because being so accustomed to idols they supposed such to be real. Paul knew there was "no such thing as an idol." He knew an idol was not a god, not real, not anything to be feared. However, he did believe and know that idols were the invention of demons (1 Cor.10:19-20). But, Paul and Jesus dealt with fear the same way. They acknowledged that ghosts and idols were real to some folks, and they told them the truth.

But there is always a gap between belief in a lie and acknowledgement of the truth. Did the disciples' fear subside immediately when he said "It is I?" Of course not. They had to adjust their thinking to reality. The chemicals coursing through their veins and brains had to have time to dilute and subside. The greater one's trauma which causes beliefs (or fantasies) to become embeded into our lives (psuche), the more difficult it is to accept the realities that will reduce our fears. This is why the overwhelming reality of Jesus in our lives is so important. He constantly says to us "It is I; do not be afraid." This embeds in our spirit and controls our body and soul leading to peace.
Rod