Tag Archive for: forgiveness

Confronting ourselves with ourselves

How often are you confrontational with yourself?
A couple of weeks ago, I asked some confrontational questions on the subject of pride and humility in our missionary zone conferences.
It is my experience that it’s human nature to see faults in others, and yet much more difficult to see faults in 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔.
Most people run away from confronting themselves because it can hurt.

Call your Mum!

A good place to start, is by calling your mom (mum!) – she loves you and knows you well enough to really help!
We need to find enough humility to be willing to confront ourselves.
It is extremely important to be willing to admit and confess your sin, weakness, and failure.
I am a witness to the fact that there comes a time in life when confronting ourselves with ourselves is obligatory – a time when one must concede or confess the error of one’s way.

Yield

Ultimately, it starts to occur, when a prideful heart, yields to humility and meekness, and is “willing to submit to all things” – see Mosiah 3:19.
Departing from former ways, one begins to understand Psalms 51:10 which reads; “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
It is always the penitent, who know the seriousness of their sin, who approach God humbly and say, “I have nothing to offer but a broken and contrite heart.” (Psalm 51:17)
It is then and only then, that the battle with ourselves is on its way to being won.
Henry B. Eyring said; “Daily repentance is the pathway to purity, and purity brings power.”
Self-confrontation allows us to see ourselves as we really are, rather than what we want to see.
Even though it can be agonising, it allows us to grow and expand into a fuller, more settled version of ourselves.
Confronting ourselves is not about berating or criticising ourselves.

Asking Questions

It’s about asking difficult questions and committing to the process of self-reflection and self-inquiry.
“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.” – August Wilson.
It’s about holding yourself accountable.
Am I becoming the person I want to be?
Am I doing what I said I would do?
If you’re seeking to make progress in your life, learn to confront yourself.
What do I need to confront myself with today?

Healing Hurts

After breaking my collar bone last Wednesday (see picture), the last few days, I’ve discovered a little about physical aches, discomfort and pain.
However, it is not only me that is hurting.
Not only can we suffer physical discomfort and pain, sometimes thoughtless, insensitive, blunt, or inconsiderate remarks can hurt feelings too.
Look around, there isn’t likely to be anyone who hasn’t been hurt and there isn’t likely to be one of us, who hasn’t hurt others.
At times, we may not even be aware of our careless remarks or comments.
Regretfully, I know I have made some insensitive comments at times.
Every day someone is hurting.
I am aware that as each day has gone by, I have started to heal.
However, it requires time, work, action, and energy too.
I’ve experienced that healing also hurts, just like a broken collar bone needs time to heal and repair itself.
I wear a sling and take paracetamol to help ease the pain.
Are you brooding over something?
Have your feelings been hurt by someone or perhaps you have made some poor decisions recently and you are sore?
As in the healing process of my broken collar bone, so injured feelings or hurts of the heart, can only be healed, when we choose not to nurse them too long, by taking prescribed medications – whatever those may be, and in time get ourselves up and about.
The timeline of healing is different for everyone, one day at a time.
Its also full of many ups and downs.
Healing happens through the process of living and taking action.
Look out for someone on your path today who is afraid, hurting, or in need of a friend.
Why not reach out to help them heal.