Forging Character

Book excerpt: Forging Character examines the interplay between unmet desires and interpersonal relationships. Our desires create opportunities to connect with God. Every desire comes with a choice: to respond with Faith, Manipulation, Greed, or Apathy. Faith is managing desire appropriately by choosing to trust. Manipulation is attempting to control others in order to avoid disappointment. Greed is seeking to control the gratification of our desires independently. Finally, Apathy is the loss of desire, experienced when we give up any hope of fulfillment. The manner in which we choose to handle desires influences our character, either cultivating Christlikeness and fulfillment, or leading towards anxiety, addiction, or depression. When we take our wounds and healing seriously and fix our gaze upon the example of Christ, we become strengthened in faith and character.