| Author | Message | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 223 Registered: 5-2007 |
Sabotage: Saying things, expressing thoughts that have a inverse impact on ones own attitude. I know this rule. Yet , sometimes, I feel I should express myself. However in doing so, I worry it may cloud someone else's outlook. For that, I am sorry. I think I may be doing others and myself more harm than good sometimes by fretting. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 4324 Registered: 3-2004  |
It depends on how you say it and if you say what you are doing to correct it. Some things need to be said and often they are negative. Try to follow that with something positive you are doing to correct it. Diana | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 224 Registered: 5-2007 |
Diana, Good point. My coping mechanisms: Prayer Read Take a break, go work on something with my hands. Spend time with family. Watch a variety of sermons on TV. Let time pass. Prayer is routine. I try not to be ceremonial or mechanical in prayer. But sometimes, I feel like a broken record in prayer. I am not a doubting Thomas. It is about connecting the dots. I have a hard time about measuring anything when it comes to my spiritual profile. Perhaps that is a mistake. In other areas of life we don't attempt to measure our characters like we do when it is about religon. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6844 Registered: 12-2003  |
Jim, I suggest that, as an act of obedience if nothing else, you begin to simply praise God. When you feel confused or discouraged or even pleased about something, begin to praise Him. Thank Him for His leading. Thank Him for what He is doing in your life that you can't even see yet. Thank Him for dying for you. Thank Him for being faithful. Thank Him for never leaving you. Thank Him for your family. There is something profoundly life-changing about being able to praise God just for who He is. Many things assume a more realistic perpsective when we can praise God. Colleen | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 4326 Registered: 3-2004 |
Colleen, I like that idea. I call it my gratitude list. What I do is say, thank you God for and name the time/person and then say thank you God again. I do that for each item on my list. That way I am concentrating on God and not on myself and what is happening to me. I even make my prayers at times my gratitude time. It really works. I will be praying for you Jim. Diana | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 201 Registered: 5-2007  |
Jim, To begin with, you have my highest respect because I get frustrated when I can not tell if I am hearing the "real" person when around folks who don't say or do things not congruent with what they really understand or believe. By expressing your real thoughts and understanding about God's will in your life you are simply revealing who Jim really is. All to often, people hide who they really are and this frustrates and saddens me because I care most what is in the heart of a person. So, I want you to know, you are doing great. Stay close to the Lord and continue to search his Word. Our Savior will bring you the peace and direction in your life that you are so desperately looking for. I could be wrong, but it appears to me that what God is currently teaching you is to "wait up the Lord". In the mean time, you have become a well grounded scholar of Scripture. Your Brother in Christ, Phil | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 226 Registered: 5-2007 |
Phil, Thank you, yes , I do try to be honest and I drop the pretense here on this forum. The way I see it is this. I know we are individualy unique, yet we all share a commonality in varying degrees. Scripture was provided to all of mankind. WE have that in common. Above all, we have Christ in common to all our lives. That said, it is my belief that whatever I am struggling with, must certainly be a common occurance. Conversely, those of us who post on this site have been given a gift to express thoughts, both positive and negative. I hope and believ that is a channel of Spiritual Blessing that God may be using to help us all , including those who cannot express these thoughts in words or are embarassed to speak of them. Admittedly, sometimes , I feel foolish, perhaps even coming across childish or stupid. But when I ask questions or bring up impressions or issues I am dealing with, it is an honest attempt to address where the rubber meets the road. NEVER is it a game or deception. Yep, I get frustrated and yep, I frustrate others. Not my intent. I look at how the learning/adapting/growth process works. It takes TIME. It takes repetition, reminders, correction, recorrection, repeat , repeat, grounding. The process is like flying in dark clouds. Communication is a compass. The compass must be consulted hour by hour. Repeat, repeat. That is the main thing I have learned with myself and it helps me to be patient with others. It takes time, and constant repetive recorrection and nudging. Because entrenched patterns are very hard to change, because the human mind can be glacial. I have a troubled son who I am trying to help get organized and productive. Of my three sons, he has been the black sheep. The rebellious one. Full of dreams, tallented, intellegent.....but ineffective. Tends to drift, bad habits etc... He is most like myself, my own past. I get frustrated with him. I keep nudging him,I keep hugging him. He's my son. So that's me. That is how I am with God. I mean well. But I am messed up and I am flawed. As we judge , so shall we be judged. Sometimes, it takes experiencing a loved ones tribulations through flaws to understand how much patience is actually required in dealing with human souls. 70 times 70.......... | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 4329 Registered: 3-2004 |
You are in my prayers Jim. Diana |
