Dysfunctional versus Functional

Written by Barbara Alpert

What does a Christian really look like? Find out with this lesson in Galatians.

“You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips…since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” (Colossians 3:7-10)

Countless individuals come from dysfunctional families. They live and grow accustomed to chaos and calamity branching from generational curses and afflictions. Abuse, addictions, unwholesome living, and malice are just a few of the warped behaviors that stem from unwarranted family lineage. Many find it difficult to overcome and live beyond their own beginnings.

If you are a believer in Christ and come from the scenario mentioned above, you may still be struggling with a few remnants, habits, and behaviors that are now inappropriate as a follower of Christ. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) We must rid ourselves of our old life and “put on” the new self.

Thank goodness, for God’s grace and mercy. He accepts and allows us to learn, grow, and mature in His ways. On our own, we cannot obtain such transformation. It is by our surrendering and the works of the Holy Spirit within that empowers, enables, and helps us to live the new life God destined for each one of His children.

As this transformation takes place then we are suitable, equipped, and able to become a functioning part of the body of Christ. Old behaviors, ways, and sinful habits depart and righteousness takes up residence.

You have a unique role in God’s family, a functioning role. He desires to see you mature and take your stance in the part He ordained for you. The apostle Paul made it clear, “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5)

Questions: Do you still have habits or behaviors that are a remnant of your former upbringing? Is it time for you to take your rightful functioning spot in the body of Christ, the church?

Tags: Barbara Alpert, Colossians 3:7-10, dealing with past, Devotional, Family, hope, Women

5 Responses to “Dysfunctional versus Functional”

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Barbara Alpert says:

November 21, 2011 at 4:26 pm

Marta, Thank you for your recommendation regarding the 12 step program. I agree that there are many wonderful programs availalbe to those that are struggling with differant types of dysfunctional ways of living and coping. May you and your husband continue in your recovery and the healing that you seek…God Bless you both.
marta says:

November 21, 2011 at 2:50 pm

What happened to my comment?
marta says:

November 21, 2011 at 11:53 am

YES. I am 52 yr old adult child of an alcoholic father. I grew up in a very dysfunctional home. My mother was crazier than my drunken father, always acting out and very angry. I married twice to alcoholic husbands. I am alcoholic myself, not drinking and in AA and in Al-Anon (25 yrs in recovery meetings). I am married for the third time to an AA (27 yrs in recovery) husband and after three yrs of marriage, we are separated an in counseling. We both have spiritual lives and believe in Christ Jesus. God is doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves, this is true. However, without AA meetings and counseling to find out what our “isms” are, how our old experiences are still affecting our lives today, we would have no idea why we are not getting along. So, first things, first. We need to stay in recovery and in counseling to identify our defects of character, decide whether or not we want to work on ourselves to get better, and thru humility we ask God to remove our shortcomings. We both work the 12 steps of AA spiritual recovery. God is good All the time and He is Faithfull. But, we MUST BE PRACTICAL AND VERY ACTIVE WITH COUNSELING AND 12 STEP MEETINGS TO LEARN WHAT IT IS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE SAY DYSFUNCTIONAL.

Please note: my husband and I have been in recovery half of our lives and we also attend RCA Recovering Couples Annonimous, another 12 step spiritual recovery program to aid couples overcome dysfunctional patterns learned in childhood and practiced in our adult lives as WE ARE VERY LIKELY (high 90′s%) TO MARRY THE SAME DISFUNCTION WE GREW UP IN). So, my point is we ourselves have alot of work to put into RECOVERY OURSELVES and as part of our spiritual recovery is the DISCOVERY OF OUR DEFECTS so we can then ASK GOD TO DO FOR US WHAT WE CANNOT DO FOR OURSELVES.

My suggestion: contact the 12 Step recovery program that best describes your dysfunction. There you will LEARN TO TRUST ON GOD WITH YOUR LIFE.

Sincerely, marta.
Barbara Alpert says:

November 20, 2011 at 11:00 am

Dear Donna, The bible talks about generational curses. You will find passages relating to such in Gen. 3:8-19, Exodus 20:5-6, Deuteronomy 27 – 30, 1 Corinthians 4:12, and Galatians 3:13 (Jesus is the answer to breaking such). Sin seeps down from one generation to the next along with the consequences of such bad choices…divorce, abuse, addictions, poverty, etc. trinkle into the next generation if someone does not take a stance in stopping such…Jesus is the source of breaking the curses handed down to us from one generation to the next. God gives us the chioce to choose death or life and curses or blessings and God hopes that we make the right choice to choose life (in Christ Jesus) and blessings (through our obedience) so that our children and their children may receive such as well. As an example…if someones father was an alcoholic, filled with bitterness, hatred and abuse…his sinfulness and poor actions affect those around him…the chances of his children becoming “like father/like son” and/or “like mother/like daughter ” is likely unless the sin is dealt with. When one turns their hearts totaly over to God and seek to obey His word then blessings comeforth to those whom decide to take a differant stance in life. I pray that God will lead you into greater understanding, revelation and knowledge in your desrie to want to know more.
DonnaL says:

November 19, 2011 at 1:18 pm

Hi Barbara, as a new creation in Christ I understand leaving behind my old habits and behaviors and putting on the “new self”. What I don’t understand is what you mean by “generational curses and afflictions”. Could you please explain?