You've mastered it well. Much better than I have. As a ghetto street cop that dealt with more dead bodies every month than most non-military people would in a lifetime I had no problem compartmentalizing death just like you are describing, as long as it wasn't anyone I knew personally. But when it's personal I still go to pieces even over the death of a pet! That's why I turned down a job with the county sheriff; because they handled the areas I lived in and I was afraid of getting an assignment where I live then having to deal with terrible things happening to friends and others I might know. I've never had the talent to compartmentalize that very well.
As for smoking, I never have because I've got just enough of an allergy to something in cigarette smoke that it makes it unpleasant enough for me to never have started. But I don't condemn those who do smoke as long as they are respectful of not inconveniencing others with it and if they are Christians they aren't so addicted to it that it stops them from doing what God has called them to do. I do things that are not good for my health too just because I enjoy them, so how can I condemn someone for enjoying smoking? I don't recommend it and support anyone in their efforts to quit, but I'd be a hypocrite if I condemned them for it.
Heb_12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Any weight will keep you from progressing in the will of God, and you only hurt yourself. It will also start to show up in your doctrine if you don't do something about it.
Mar_3:35
For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
Joh_7:17
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
When someone has crazy doctrines, that someone has allowed weights and sin to set them off course. They are missing out, and can be self deceived eventually if they don't make the corrections.
Some take it a step further, they don't even consider the plan of God everyday, all day. Just get to church on Sunday's when they feel like it.
A weight can be anything we don't fully see at first. Something God would like to correct, and let me make this clear. God does not require everything to be perfect at once, He walks you through and brings the next thing up once we have overcome the other. He knows we are flesh and flesh is weak.
A weight is a habit to make provisions for the flesh.
Here are some example weights.
1) Staying up to late, not being ready to go in the morning.
2) needing way to much wake up time to get the day started.
3) Needing ME time to function properly.
4) Cell Phone glued to the hand where you answer a text or call when talking with someone else.
5) Smoking or anything that you have allowed yourself to crave in place of resting in the Lord.
6) Always having to make sure everyone knows your right.
These are just examples, I am sure everyone can think of a bunch more.
Mike.
