Struggling to keep covering

Struggling to keep covering:

On one of the covering lists that I run a member reported that she is struggling to keep covering. What I wrote to her there I bring to you here, in case it can help someone:

That's the whole reason I run 2 covering support groups and post here....to support covering. These two Yahoo groups have only one purpose.

Someone called me a "Fundamentalist" over the weekend and he told me that we are supposed to take Paul's letters symbolically, not literally. The person had the correct definition too. To take the Bible literally. So he is not "off" on his definition. But he takes the Bible symbolically and therefore, I believe, he is free to pick and choose which passages to obey and which ones are okay to disobey. I'm starting to hate living in the "last days" because I can see the falling away from the faith all around me. Things all Christians believed in and followed together are going away. They've been there for 2000 years. But we've lost ground (as if in a war and Paul says we are in a war) since the 1920's and again in the 1960's. I'm sick of it. Our children are being raised in Christian homes and rejecting the faith after a good and kind grounding in the Christian faith. You hear about that every day. Sorry, this part is NOT directed at anyone struggling with covering other than to say that usually people who cover are those who are attempting to follow and obey the New Testament as best as they can. They DO believe that Paul's letters are to be obeyed.

If you do not know there is a large teaching on head covering for both men and women in First Corinthians, chapter 11: 1-16. It's a letter that Paul wrote. It's published in the New Testament of the Bible. The women of the Old Testament covered too and we have a small reference to that early in the Bible but not a full teaching about it. In the NT we get a full teaching.

I say this: How absurd to call me a Fundamentalist when I would have been called an ordinary Christian 100 years ago.

Paul did not write,

"To those in Corinth,

Please take my letters that I write to you symbolically, not literally." 

No, he was very adamant that those receiving the letters obey him. In the 11th chapter of I Corinthians (the covering passage) he told us at the beginning of the passage to do as he does, follow his example and he has said that other places in his letters too. He has said (essentially) "I've got this, I'm living this, I'm an example to you of how to do it, and he assumed the teacher/example role."

Then he taught covering for 15 verses and then he gave 3 very long-term, if not eternal reasons to cover.

Most Bible passages do not self-interpret themselves but our covering passage does.

Because of the headship order: God, Jesus, Man

Because of the order of creation, Man then woman

Because of the angels and then Paul doesn't say whether he means the "good" angels or the the fallen angels.

But it's such a clear teaching and I find that passage of Corinthians is my personal main "help" to cover. Twenty-six years ago I didn't WANT to cover. I liked my hair. People still compliment my hair. I didn't want to be hot in the summer. I didn't want to "stick out" and cause people to ostracize me and I didn't want to be debated by pastors, elders, pastor's wives, friends, children, etc., I wished I could dig into the Greek and find a way out of covering but there was not a way out. In fact, the Greek makes it at least 100% more clear that we are to cover than the English translations do. 

Other coverers find other comfort and reasons for covering. They like the simplicity of it. They feel more obedient when they do it. I've asked a lot of questions on these 2 covering groups I run and I've received a lot of reason of "why" people cover.

This something only you can do for yourself. Only the Lord can help you. The pervasiveness of others will not assist you. We can pray for you and that's about all we can do. I regularly pray for North America about this topic. South America does cover, as does the Asian continent and many places of the world. 

My prescription for someone struggling with this or ANY other spiritual issue is to take a 1 day retreat at home, if you can, Get a babysitter if you have children or do it on the weekend, if you're married, and stay in your room for 1 day. Take a toaster, some bread, some butter and some water, a few plates and butter knives and the Bible and any Bible helps or reference books you may need. Only leave the room to potty.

Then spend the whole day away from the crazy, high speed world, and the critics who live in it and be with our Lord. That's your only goal. Just be with Jesus. The bread and water are to keep you there, in your room, rather than in the kitchen. Rest, Pray a lot, and read the Bible a lot. Give the Lord one full day of attention and see what He does with you. 

Don't even think about those who have rejected you for covering or for being a literal Bible follower.

Last time I looked up "Fundamentalist" in a dictionary the meaning was short. It said, "Those who believe the Bible is really the words of God." 

Yes, that's me. If that is ALL that it means, why is is becoming an insult?

If some type of cloth, scarf, or hat is on your head, why is that so offensive to other people?

It's them, not you. They don't want to cover and I remember having that feeling too, 26 years ago. It's a strong "want" but we don't "get to" disobey God. Our passage doesn't say our prayers will not be answered. It just says DON'T pray or prophesy uncovered and then gives those 3 reasons within the passage.

If any of you are struggling: Please take a 1 day retreat in your home or leave home for 1 day and do that. Some churches or retreat centers, or monasteries will let you stay 1 night for free. Or get a quiet hotel room. But get alone and devote yourself to the Lord for one full day.

I brought this here in case someone here needed to hear this too.

Thank you,

Clevsea