Wednesday June 1st, 2016

Women Connect ~ short weekly posts to inspire and encourage.

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10: 23-24

This quote grabbed me and held on tight this week.

“My mom has always told me that the most transformative decisions are made from a place of strength not weakness. We do not bully ourselves into decision making. We believe ourselves there.” Leeana Tankersley

How good and wise is that.

So this is where it led me.

As Christian women we know to encourage and lift and build each other up. We take the business of “spurring one another on to love and good works” seriously. We know to love and care and look after each other. We don’t do it perfectly, we slip up at times but we know it brings life, we know it’s God way and I know your good at it. I’ve been on the receiving end of it (in spades) from all you beautiful ladies and its a life line when your at a low place. It’s what gets you through and  what helps you see God in the midst of it all.

But do we care for ourselves the same way.

Do we show ourselves the same kindness.

See Ive been a good one for bullying and being mean to myself and maybe you have too.

I’ve tried to bully myself into changing and to bully myself into being a better person and do better things. But it has the opposite effect.

We all want to do better, we all want to live a life that’s pleasing and true to God and that’s a good desire – – –

If it doesn’t get away on us,

As long as it doesn’t turn on us and rip us to shreds.

See we know He’s made us of good stuff, we know He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). So we get really mad at ourselves when we mess up or when we don’t perform the way we think we should, or when we are not as smart or as clever as we think we should be. We scold and reprimand and put ourselves in the corner, call ourselves names and are plain old mean to ourselves. And it makes us want to give up. We’d never treat any one else that way, we would never be so hurtful or demanding or unforgiving to another but we do it to ourselves.

The scripture above from Hebrews says: hold firm to the hope we have in God because He can be trusted to keep His promises. See the work of change and growth is God’s work not just ours. He’s promised it. Keeping our sights on Him, on all HE is, is a far better use of our faith than harassing and reprimanding ourselves into changing and being “good”. That sells us short and God too.

 

So what if we treated ourselves like one of His beloved, what if we gave ourselves the grace that we would give a dear friend who was struggling. What about a friend  who needed to make some changes, we would stand with her wouldn’t we, be patient, give her a helping hand. What if we showed ourselves the same compassion that Jesus extended to the woman caught in adultery. What if we just confessed our selfishness or our not listening or our judgmental attitude or our trying to fix things our way or whatever it is. Confess it to God, ask His forgiveness and then move on. Lets not undo with our thinking what God has done in our hearts. What if we just picked ourselves up and said c’mon lets start again, what if we laughed at ourselves sometimes and just kept going.

What if  we keep looking up and keep holding on to the hope and confidence we have in Christ, no scolding, no recrimination, no bullying.

And what if we stop focusing on what we can and can’t do and lift our eyes to the author and finisher of our faith, full of mercy, abounding in love, who leads us the way of grace, by quiet waters and green pastures. Now we have a chance at change, now we have God with is and we are bound to do better.

Got a minute  why not read Leanna Tankersley’s full post
“Five Things I’ve Learned About Making Decisions”

Much love to you all today

Tracey xx

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Linking up today  with Three Word Wednesday, Coffee For Your Heart, Tell His Story, Grace Moments