Wednesday, May 11, 2016

KILLING THE GIANT OF SHOULD STATEMENTS

You try to motivate yourself by saying, “I should do this” or “I must do that.” These statements and wrong kind of thinking will cause you to feel pressured and resentful. And paradoxically you end up feeling apathetic and unmotivated!

When you direct should statements toward others, you usually feel angry and frustrated. “I can’t believe they didn’t even say thank you for what I did for them. They shouldn’t be so unthankful!”

Should statements generate a lot of emotional turmoil in your daily life. When you mess up, there is a lot of self-condemnation. And when others mess up and fall short, you may feel bitter, angry and self-righteous.

You will never be at peace if you are always thinking about what should have been done or what should have not been done! Life simply can’t work this way.

This giant of should statements will keep you bound if you let it. The Good News is that we are going to kill this giant and see you set free from what binds and have restored all that is yours in Jesus!

First, killing this giant begins with the realization that all of us fall short of the mark from time to time. Only one was perfect and that is Jesus!

So when we sin, and all of us sin, we simply do what the Word of God says in I John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Then we walk in faith in the scriptural truth that we are forgiven. Remember the words of Sister Corrie ten Boom,  “God has buried our sins in the sea of His forgetfulness and posted a sign that says ‘no fishing.’”

When others sin and fall short and do something that hurts you in some way, always be ready to forgive them. Remember the words of Jesus when He said, “blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)

Dear friends, all people have a sin nature, and as long as that is true, we will do things that disappoint ourselves and others, and others will do things that disappoint us. That’s the truth of scripture. That’s life. Why not leave the judging to the Lord and determine to walk in love and mercy toward yourself and others. This will free you from a lot of unnecessary angst and anxiety.

So let’s pick up a stone and put it in our sling and hurl it at the giant of should statements.

I declare in faith that I will walk in love and mercy toward others and myself and leave the judging to God.

I declare that when I sin I will do what the Word of God says in I John 1:9: I will confess my sins, believing God to forgive me of my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I will then walk in faith as a person who is forgiven—regardless of how I may feel!
.
I declare that when others do things that disappoints or hurts me, I will readily show them mercy and forgiveness and leave the judging in the hands of a righteous and loving God.

In this way I will renew my mind with the Word of God and kill the giant of should statements. Jubilee: freedom from what binds and restoration of all that is mine!





No comments:

Post a Comment