If someone else said to me the things I say about myself in my mind, I would quickly be imprisoned for assault…perhaps murder.
I’m sure we all would.
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10 comments
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July 17, 2008 at 9:33 am
Tracy Simmons
Oh, man, what have you been thinking lately? Come on, open up the top of your head and let some of it spill out
.
July 17, 2008 at 9:42 am
Jeromy
Am I alone in this? I think it is a common part of struggling as a human. We tend to be very hard on ourselves internally. I’ve grown, but I’m not sure I will ever experience complete “freedom” this side of death. If I do, it will only be by God’s
wrath and judgementgrace and love. Do you struggle with this?July 17, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Daniel
ALL the time! I hate to admit it because it means I suck at being a good Christian but sometimes those thoughts aren’t only about me. I incur a ton of God’s
wrath and judgmentgrace and love daily.July 17, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Jeromy
You’re such a bad, naughty Christian!
I think it just means you’re human.
July 17, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Tracy Simmons
Jeromy, ah, yes the wrath and judgment of God….now you’ve made it all perfectly clear
. Ha!
Yes, I agree, none of us will ever experience total “freedom” from this before we die. I do think, however, that we can greatly decrease the amount of negative noise in our heads. It seems like the more I grow in grace and His acceptance, the less I do that anymore. Now when it comes, it is brief and fleeting. I fling it at the cross and I’m done with it. I used to wallow in those thoughts and I just refuse to do that any more! Brennan Manning has helped me greatly with this when he talks about how tender we need to be with ourselves. That word really helped me see how I need to treat myself (easy to see it’s how to treat others, but much harder for myself, as you know!). So, be tender with yourself, little lamb! (And please remind me of this next time you hear me doing the same stuff.)
July 17, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Jeromy
Tender… …what a healing word.
A co-worker and I were having this conversation (struck up because of a Bob Dylan song) that we tend to be our own worst enemies and critics, and how so much of our hang ups are simply in our stinkin-thinkin. Then we envisioned what might happen if someone else walked up and told us the things we tell ourselves… …hence the post.
I agree that it has become less as the greatness of God’s love and grace is realized and believed in by me, but it is still there, hiding in the shadows, creeping out and speaking lies.
July 17, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Jeff Frazee
I think you can have freedom from that kind of thinking.
I know I have some bent perspectives, but not so much in the self-condemnation area. God has done such a fantastic job of showing me more of how He sees His children. It just blew my mind. But condemnation is so much less a part of my life than it was a year ago.
July 18, 2008 at 6:31 am
Jeromy
Complete feedom, Jeff? Or just less?
July 22, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Neil
We can indeed be vicious to ourselves. Consider what women tell themselves about their bodies when trying on clothes. Would they say those things to a friend? Would they accept a friend saying it to them. No way!
August 12, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Jeff Frazee
I just heard a message that argued that there is no such thing as complete freedom.
I think I agree.
I don’t think I have complete freedom from negative thinking, but Christ and the Spirit made it so that I am completely free to be His slave. Free to make the right choices though I often don’t do what I want to do.
Come Lord Jesus, Soon!