Oh! Now, I get it!

While at work early last week, and on the way home, I was listening to one of my favorite NPR stations. They were talking about different "disorders" among children. Even the woman who was reading the story seemed to have difficulty keeping a straight face as she told it.

Although I risk the possibly making some reader unhappy, she basically said that one of the "illnesses" was called "Conduct Disorder (CD)." She paused awhile, then she said, "In other words, bad parenting."  I thought, "Uh-huh!"

Then she went on to explain another "disorder": "Temper Dysregulation Disorder" (TDD). Again she paused, but as though she thought better of remarking, she just went on, not making anymore personal remarks after the one about "CD." Since she didn't, I explained that "disorder" to her, but my radio didn't pause at all, for her to hear my explanation.

Names for illnesses and disorders are both powerful and useful. They are good things, helping the one who suffers the malady to be able to understand it better and possibly to control it, help to correct it, and to see the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel." Not only do names encourage us to face the problem, but names also give us a way to seek help.

Still, there are times when we overuse the "naming" process, and the names become excuses rather than a way to help ourselves. They become magic tags that lift the responsibility for trying off us, putting our bad behavior onto some plane that makes us think that we are no longer responsible. How unfortunate! Instead of using the name to overcome, we use it to wallow in our misery.

So here's what I learned: I am not really deficient in sanctification! I actually have CCCD -- Complete Consecration/Commitment Disorder, otherwise known as HDD (Holiness Deficit Disorder). It is a disorder, so it's not my fault. That is just the way it is, there is nothing I can do about it. What I need is medication to give me peace about my disorder, so that I will relax about it and quit being concerned.