As
humans, we are so hard on our self. Perfectionistic attitudes drive us to
attain more, reach a higher level, get that promotion, increase our bank
account, get that raise, live in a showcase home, marry the right person, etc.
We
forget basic attributes like empathy, compassion, and love for our self and
others. We bully our way to the top, regardless of who we step on during our
ascent. Then we discover that the top is lonely and ultimately unfulfilling.
Daily
affirmations of our identity in Christ, taken directly from God's Word, is the
only way to attain the fulfillment that we seek. They build our confidence in
God's love, plan and provision for His Saints. They teach us humility and
kindness, and how to walk in God's Spirit (Galatians 5:15-25).
These
positive thoughts give us more energy during the day, peaceful sleep at night,
and joy with each new morning. They have nothing to do with our earthly
experiences, but everything to do with our identity in Christ. We set our mind on wisdom from God's throne rather than to worry
about finite issues.
All
negative emotions are red flag to alert us to the fact that we are not meeting
a need that we have. If we do not heed their warning, they affect us in body,
soul and spirit with ill health, mental illness and spiritual apathy and despondency.
Rather
than disparaging our self over a short-coming, we lift our failings up to the
Lord. Failings are temporary misjudgments, but never the failures, which Satan tries
to convince us that they are. We may lose a battle, but Jesus already won the
war on Calvary's cross.
The
blood of Jesus brought us into the family of God through salvation; and the
sanctifying work of God's Spirit in our life makes us worthy, lovable and
beautiful in the eyes of God. He sees us clothed in Christ's righteousness, and
calls us His own.
Prayer:
Father
God, Your Word has a major impact on our physical, mental and emotional health,
our spiritual maturity and our overall world view and perspective about life. Remind
us to keep a record of our internal dialogue with our self, and to come to You
to discover the truth about any lies perpetuated in our mind by our caregivers
and the devil.
When
we walk in Your will for our life, we are excited about our vocation, fulfilled
by our ministry, thankful for our relationships, and amazed at our strength in
Your joy. Thank you for freeing us from the dysfunctional memories of our past,
which influence our current thoughts and emotions, and affect our health in
body, soul and spirit.
Thought
for the Day:
Once
we properly assimilate the memories from our past, which are stored in our
subconscious mind, and which inflict their power over our current thoughts and
emotions, we are free from their intrusion in our life and their effect on our
health.
