Degrading,
derogatory, and condescending people in our life teach us to live with
criticism, and to expect it even from our self. The toxic words and attitude
about who we are, and who we can become, attempt to cripple us. They thwart our
attempts to live a fulfilled life.
However,
when we wait on God in prayer, He enables us to discover the root of the
blaming messages recycling in our subconscious mind. He teaches us how to treat
our self and others with His compassion, rather than our disdain (Lamentations
3:19-23).
This
paradigm-shift stops our self-abuse and puts us on a more positive path through
life. There are valid reasons for our thoughts, emotions and behavior. We may
not understand why we react in certain ways, but there is always an explanation
hiding deep within our subconscious mind.
Understanding
who we are in Christ is our key to unlocking the door to fulfillment and
victory. We start encouraging the part of us that feels inadequate, because we
realize that with Christ in our life, we can do everything of lasting value and
meaning that He calls us to accomplish (John 15:5).
If
we use compassion, tolerance and mercy in our assessment of our self, our soul
will open up to us much more quickly than if we fear self-recrimination,
internal lectures and personal censure. The dread of vulnerability diminishes
when we feel safe.
Choosing
positive activities, friends and thoughts will greatly enhance this experience
(Philippians 4:8). Taking time to sit quietly in our favorite place, to
meditate on God's Word and to listen to His Spirit, will help us to discern the
root cause(s) of our negative issues, and to heal from them.
We
cannot stop time; life keeps going on with or without us. God created us as human
beings with all of our faults and foibles. There is no way for us to act or to
think perfectly unless we live in ways that are totally controlled by the
Spirit of God. This takes Godly wisdom and practice each moment of our day.
Prayer:
Father
God, remind us that self-recrimination will inhibit our spiritual growth, as
well as the sanctification of our soul. However, taking an inventory of our uncensored
thoughts will bring quick resolution to negativity. We will view our inner
dialogue and feelings from Your point of view with kindness and acceptance, loving
and supporting our idiosyncrasies, and having patience with our human
tendencies. This will honor You, and will bless our body, soul and spirit.
We
repent of sinful inclinations and seek Your forgiveness. This way we learn to
cherish our self, just as You care for us. Help us to see the benefit of blessing
our self in little ways each day, such as: taking a hot bath, pursuing a hobby,
snuggling with our favorite book and blanket, restoring an old car, gardening, following
the progress of our favorite sports team, preparing a healthy treat for our
self, visiting with our best friends, faithfully reading Your Word, and taking
our concerns to You in prayer.
Thought
for the Day:
We
are a person too, and we can heal by having compassion for our self just as we
do for others in our life; we grow in ways that we never thought possible when
we give our self permission to play, relax, be creative, encounter new
experiences, love our self when we fail, nurture our self when we are sick, and
care about how we feel emotionally and how we are handling the stresses of life.
