Don’t Get Down On Yourself
It’s easy to dwell and obsess on our wrongs and missteps. We’re predisposed to think poorly.
I’ve had several occasions recently in which I made mistakes. Each time it was as if the accuser came running up to me with his boney finger pointing at me, silently yelling that I screwed up. No one else was aware of this because it was all in my head. As I kept rehearsing the mistakes, the constant barrage of accusation escalated and I found myself so preoccupied with it all that I could no longer engage effectively in the conversation or activity around me.
Mistakes are inevitable. So is sinning. The accusation is also inevitable. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 If we default to beating ourselves up and obsessing over how awful we are, we’re allowing ourselves to be devoured.
What’s our alternative? If we’ve sinned or made a mistake, we need to acknowledge it, repent and accept God’s forgiveness. We’re to make restitution when possible. He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us. 1 John 1:9
Keep in mind that even the most righteous among us falls. The key is to get back up again each time, and do it quickly. Proverbs 24:16
Keep in mind that God makes everything work for our benefit because we love Him and are called for His purposes. This is part of how we trust Him. Romans 8:28
Remember that condemnation is no longer a reality for anyone who is “in Christ”. Romans 8:1
And finally, we need to change our thinking – especially about ourselves – from our default position to those things that are true, pure, noble, just, lovely, good and praiseworthy. Meditating on these things requires discipline. Philippians 4:8
