“I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.” 1 Corinthians 4:14 (NASB)
The world pulls, tugs and tears at us every day. It feeds us various belief and value systems based on ever-changing standards. In the majority of cases, it’s not that the people who have imprinted your heart are horrible people, they handed you what had been handed to them.
With various influences and input from those around us we learn a set of skills that are supposed to prepare us for a successful adulthood. If those around us are healthy, we get healthy instruction. If however, those around us have never taken the time to examine their skill set or their lack of then we can only get from them what they are capable of providing.
Skills acquired during childhood may not necessarily serve us as adults. I for one learned certain survival skills that did not equip me for life and relationships outside my home. My acquired survival skills served me well to navigate my unstable childhood surroundings, but they did not equip me for healthy adult relationships beyond those walls. I had a big learning curve and as time passed, I yearned for rewrites and do overs.
Are you in need of a rewrite? Are there skills that need to be learned or dark places that could use a breath of new life? If so, let’s take the yearnings of your heart and hold them up and see what God has to say about who you are to Him. We can use the truth of His heart to cover over our past and redefine our future.
They say it takes 21 days to replace a habit so for the next 21 days, be purposeful in soaking in His truths. In the self-reflection link below I’m going to share a scripture with you that I want you to post in places where you’ll see it often. Put it on pretty paper and tuck them in your purse.
Turn the words over in your heart. Speak them when you’re tempted to fall into an old habit. Talk to God about them. Ask Him to show you they’re true and how to use this knowledge in your every day life.
Replace what you currently believe about yourself with who Christ says you are and who He created you to be. God has a plan for you but so does Satan.
No matter what Satan throws at you, even if it has been a previous truth for you, use God’s word as a beacon to expose Satan’s lies. Speak life, which is synonymous with truth, into your situation, temptation or false belief. The power found in God’s words will send Satan running any time he tries to attack your heart.
The best is yet to come sweet one! It all starts with allowing Christ to write His love letter upon your heart with the beauty of His love for you.
Now LIVE LOVED and THRIVE!
These questions are in no way a substitute for healthcare professionals or any level of professional counseling. I’m an advocate for taking care of oneself mentally, physically and spiritually, that is my heart NOT my profession.
This questionnaire is an opportunity to journal your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a launching pad on which to evaluate your heart condition, as you understand it. My hope is that you will take what you discover and hold it up to the Light to evaluate it against who God says you are.
- What areas of your life need a do over or a fresh start? Maybe you keep finding yourself in the same situation over and over again. Are you experiencing the same reaction from people in regard to a specific habit/trait/action?
- What are some ways you can learn new skills? (i.e. find a mentor, go to counseling, check out a self-help book in the library, read Proverbs in the Bible)
- Pick 1 habit you want to change. What healthy habit will you replace it with for the next 21 days. This should include using scripture to replace your current way of thinking about yourself or the harmful habit.
- Why do you want to change this habit?
- In what safe, healthy way will you reward yourself when you have successfully replaced the harmful habit with a new safe, healthy one?
Use God’s word to take control over traumas in your life. Whenever you feel terrorized by your thoughts, take them captive by replacing them with the truth of God’s promises found in His word.
Print, then cut and carry this Scripture with you and/or post it in places where you will see it often. Ground yourself in God’s truths not Satan’s attacks. Encourage your heart and mind every time you are reminded of His great love for YOU!
Here is what God’s word says about His unfailing, relentless, unending love for you:
“I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.” 1 Corinthians 4:14 (NASB)
Read this scripture out loud: God the Father calls me His child. When people don’t recognize my worth, it is because they don’t know the One who has spoken for me and calls me His daughter.
Now LIVE LOVED and THRIVE!
