Heaven help me for the way I am
Save me from, these evil deeds
Before I get them done
I know tomorrow brings
The consequence at hand, but I keep livin' this day like
The next will never come-Fiona Apple, Criminal
Ever notice that the crap you struggle with keeps popping up throughout your life as if it's on repeat? If I didn't believe in grace, I would wonder if it's because we are wired a certain way, and I am sure to a certain extent, we are. But more than that, I think it's because we keep looking back and we think we are looking forward. We look into our reflection with our face forward, but all we can see is behind us or who we were in the past because it's how we see ourselves. Our past sins are like vultures, flying over us, waiting for us to drop dead at any moment so they can ravage us and we fear it. At this point, we become a self-fulfilling prophesy. Some people see themselves better than they really are, and for those people....I am sorry. It must suck to never think you are wrong or sin because you will never improve yourself. You don't see vultures, but instead, invisible rainbows and a smile. But for the rest of us....those who have sinned and are aware of it, those who time after time ask for forgiveness from God and ourselves and never quite feel redeemed, it's sometimes a struggle to live in our own skin. To these people, and I have to remind myself all the time, grace is what will save you, but you have to accept it.
2 Corinthians 12:9
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
The Greek philosopher, Epictetus, said that it isn't events in our lives that hurt us, but it's our view of them that can. He says that things and people do not hinder or hurt us. It is completely our attitude and reaction that gives us trouble....so shouldn't we include ourselves as a person and give ourselves the same respect that we give everyone else? We are essentially taking people off the hook for what they have done if we decide that they have no power, right? Our will is always within our power....even God gave us free reign over our will, so why would we forfeit and hand it over to someone or something that hurt us? Obviously, events and people can knock us down and hurt us temporarily, but it's up to us to get up and move forward, and you cannot do that while looking back at past events and holding grudges.....even the ones you hold against yourself.
The Greek philosopher, Epictetus, said that it isn't events in our lives that hurt us, but it's our view of them that can. He says that things and people do not hinder or hurt us. It is completely our attitude and reaction that gives us trouble....so shouldn't we include ourselves as a person and give ourselves the same respect that we give everyone else? We are essentially taking people off the hook for what they have done if we decide that they have no power, right? Our will is always within our power....even God gave us free reign over our will, so why would we forfeit and hand it over to someone or something that hurt us? Obviously, events and people can knock us down and hurt us temporarily, but it's up to us to get up and move forward, and you cannot do that while looking back at past events and holding grudges.....even the ones you hold against yourself.
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