Share some wisdom with me regarding compartmentalizing life

[Kaleidoscope]

Here's the assumptions...

 

an overly compartmentalized life = bad because you end up disconnected

 

but

 

giving situations over to God to handle = good because you are practicing faith and not worrying

 

however

 

what's the difference in the two?

 

Or maybe thats the wrong questions... you can compartmentalize without giving a situation over to God and without having faith. But how do you practice faith and walk away from worry and give a situation to God without ending up with your life totally compartmentalized?

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[Dandelion]

But how do you practice faith and walk away from worry and give a situation to God without ending up with your life totally compartmentalized?

 

 

I think you do this by looking at compartmentalization as a temporary coping strategy. It's not meant to be permanent.

 

An extreme example of compartmentalization is the soldier who has to file away the trauma of horrific events in his or her mind in order to be able to continue operating on the battlefield. That's not a permanent solution. At some point, the trauma has to be dealt with. But it's perfectly acceptable, and even necessary, for the soldier to compartmentalize for a period of time in order to continue functioning.

[regentrude]

I do not understand the question. I do not see the connection between compartmentalizing and faith and the need to give something over to God.

 

I compartmentalize already when I choose to leave a work conflict behind me when I close the office door and not let it affect my family life. Or when I have a problem with a family member and not let that affect my relationship with other family members. Or when I can put worry about a sick family member temporarily aside and focus on work.

I see compartmentalizing as a very health mechanism to deal with the separate roles I have in life and not necessarily as something pathological.

But I don't see at all where religion has to come in.

[Dandelion]

I do not understand the question. I do not see the connection between compartmentalizing and faith and the need to give something over to God.

 

 

 

I struggled a bit with the connection as well.

 

My interpretation of the question is that the OP feels she would be cutting off certain areas of her life as she hands them over to God, and that this would create a lot of compartmentalization. In her perspective, compartmentalization is not a good thing. So the dilemma is that practicing faith and handing things over to God creates more compartmentalization.

 

I agree that compartmentalization can be healthy and helpful.

[Kaleidoscope]

I do see that compartmentalizing is good and necessary at times. I didn't intend to make it sound like I thought it was always bad.

 

I guess it is when it becomes a long term solution for dealing with life particularly for on going and long term situations.

 

But yes Julie is right, I don't see how to practice faith and turn situations over to God without creating a scenario where things end up boxed up indefinitely. If there's nothing you can do to fix something and you can't leave the situation and you can't control how or when or if God will work in a situation it seems hopeless.

[Liz CA]

I think it is perhaps the realization that there are good parts of us and not so good parts. When we strive to integrate both sides and give the result to God - not just the result but rather the ever ongoing process, life should be less compartmentalized.

We should be able to say "yes there are some good things, but also some bad things. It is not all or nothing. As long we work on the flaws, seek outside help when needed and actively work toward integration instead of separation, we are so much closer to being whole.

[Kaleidoscope]

I think it is perhaps the realization that there are good parts of us and not so good parts. When we strive to integrate both sides and give the result to God - not just the result but rather the ever ongoing process, life should be less compartmentalized.

We should be able to say "yes there are some good things, but also some bad things. It is not all or nothing. As long we work on the flaws, seek outside help when needed and actively work toward integration instead of separation, we are so much closer to being whole.

 

 

 

I see what you are saying and that makes sense when dealing with things in ourselves.

 

The type of compartmentalization I was thinking about deals more with trying to process things that happen to us. For example growing up in an abusive home. Assuming the child isn't removed from the home for whatever reason and instead has no choice but to learn to deal with it. If the child is in church they may learn they should surrender the home situation to God... but how would years of doing that not end up with a life that's so full of boxed up issues. Is it inevitable or is there something else to giving problems over to God that keeps one from ending up this way?

[fairfarmhand]

 

 

I see what you are saying and that makes sense when dealing with things in ourselves.

 

The type of compartmentalization I was thinking about deals more with trying to process things that happen to us. For example growing up in an abusive home. Assuming the child isn't removed from the home for whatever reason and instead has no choice but to learn to deal with it. If the child is in church they may learn they should surrender the home situation to God... but how would years of doing that not end up with a life that's so full of boxed up issues. Is it inevitable or is there something else to giving problems over to God that keeps one from ending up this way?

 

I was this child. In fact, I was so compartmentalized I had no idea I was a wreck inside. However, giving situations to God also means that eventually he will bring them to light and help you deal with them. The issues of my family of origin do crop up from time to time, but God gives me grace to forgive, let go of the past and move forward in a healthy way.

 

I don't think that a life fully surrendered to God means that you end up a boxed up mess. When those issues come up, you handle them and let him heal you.