You know I'm finding it common that people (that'd be us: you and me) have a predisposition to go through experiences, feelings, and emotions - and walk out the other side thinking that we are the only ones who feel this way. But more and more I find myself suspecting that we only feel this way because people put on a mask, put their best foot forward, and pretend that they aren't ever hurting. Ever done that before? Smiled and responded 'yeah I'm good' to the classic 'How are you question?' The reason I say this is that I go through emotions, feelings, and experiences, and I can't help but wonder if I'm not the only one. And if I'm not - maybe someone else could use this same reminder.
So here it is - you don't have to punish yourself. Sound a bit weird? yep, I get it - but here's a random little thought God put on my heart recently (at least I believe this one was God).
I struggle in many areas of my life (I think my other blog pieces make it clear that I can be a bit of a mess...). I am also my harshest critic - leaving me looking at the mirror in disgust regularly. But tonight I just need to write this - you don't have to punish yourself for the mistakes you make. Punishing myself does not fulfil some righteous consequence. Instead, it damages my identity and tries to fight the identity God has given me. It doesn't have to be a long, painful road to healing and recovery. Sometimes it is - but sometimes I think we can see our mistakes and decide that we know how much suffering we should go through to 'make up' for what we've done. But God did that all for us. He paid it all. Full stop. Period. Simple. When you mess up - you surrender it to God and move on. It's that simple, it's that easy. God gave you a gift - up to you whether or not you accept it. Choosing to walk a mile in shame
So next time you feel like talking down to yourself, see all the crappy parts of yourself - remember this: You aren't alone! There are so many of us who struggle, who put ourselves down etc. Fight those feelings, and begin to change the way you allow yourself to focus. God gave you an incredible gift of forgiveness. It's already paid for - so you may as well walk in it!
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