The inner Critic
Hello Friends,
I am sitting in a very upbeat Starbucks. The moments here are fast paced and cheerful. It has been a while since I’ve seen you friend, I have not been writing for a long time. I am so thankful that I can be allowed to take breaks, to not have a deadline and can write for as long or as short as I need to. Thank you for your patience. These past few months I’ve been struggling with the fear of what people may think of my work and who I am as a person. This fear has quenched my writing for a long time but many things have been at work since then. God has been teaching me that we all are here for a purpose for a reason. And we do not live for the approval of people, we live for the approval of the One who loves us and created us to be sons and daughters of the King. Once in a while, I forget the One who puts everything in place and start thinking about what people may think of me. Can you relate? Especially in a society that can be very critical. We, ourselves become critical. The harshest critic in life is ourselves.
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"-1 John 3:1
Have you ever beaten yourself up over things? Even though over and over we are reminded of the love of God and how He sees us as precious and how He has made us with such love and compassion yet, when we receive a bad grade or slipped up or snapped at someone, we blame and punish ourselves. The Holy Spirit teaches us but our mind constantly focus on the wrongs we did over and over. Sometimes things are not our fault and are out of our hands. They just happen and we have this tendency to "fix" ourselves. We wish we could have done something different when it cannot be undone. Sometimes it is not even our fault, things just happen and there is nothing we can do to change it. All we can do is come as we are. He has covered you with love, clothed you with salvation and righteousness. He sees you as His beloved.
"I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels."
-Isaiah 61:10
There is no “Should ofs", or "ifs" in God’s world. We need to just acknowledge that we made a mistake and move on. It is definitely easier said than done but the more we practice, the more we can grow in who God wants us to be. The past is in the past, the future is the future and we cannot change them. The only day we can focus on is the present. I honestly don’t know how to go easy on myself but I will try to be kind to myself and I hope you will do the same.
"The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace." -Psalm 29:11
God has given us grace so we must give ourselves grace.
Praying for you! If you ever need someone to talk to, I am here. You can find my email in my profile.
Have a beautiful day!
xox
Bri
