Finding Compassion for Yourself

We live in a cruel world. A world full of pain, anger, hurt, misfortune, addiction, lies, abuse, and much more. With how our world is, we can start to fall into the same trap. We end up in the midst of pain, heart ache, self sabotaging, and lies. We become our worst critic. We beat ourselves up because the "world" says we are "fill in the blank." 

This is a trap that I have found myself in for the majority of my life. I didn't realize how much negative I spoke over myself until recent. I was confronted by my own demons. I saw the heart ache of my words and how it was causing more damage than anything. It has kept me stuck in the same patterns that I continued to cycle through since I was around ten years old. Its hard to grasp that the world has spoken such crap into our lives to keep us where we are. 

As I sat with my counselor one last time, something she had said a few times before really struck a cord in my heart. It was as the light bulb turned on. She had been encouraging me on my new adventure and how I would be successful in this. Here is where the change began: "be kind to yourself and have compassion for yourself". 

BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND HAVE COMPASSION FOR YOURSELF

This has been a perspective change and a challenge for me. But I was ready. You are ready too. We beat ourselves up because of our past, abuse, addiction, hurts, or that we don't meet the "worlds" standards. Reality....We aren't the things of our past or our abuse or our addictions. We are children of God. 

Psalm 103:1-4

Praise the Lord, my soul;

all my inmost being, praise

his holy name. 

Praise the Lord, my soul,

and forget not all his 

benefits--

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life

from the pit

and crowns you with love 

and compassion. 

This verse speaks so clearly to myself. If God, who didn't have to send his Son to the Cross for our lives can have compassion and want to heal us. Can't we have the same compassion and kindness for ourselves. Goodness, its a lot easier said than done. Like most things in our lives are. This week I have brought more awareness to this struggle in my life. Even when I fail or have a struggling moment, I try to take a step away from the situation and find the compassion for myself as God would give me. 

This process is a refining process. Its not a pretty process to be kind to myself. Or to even like myself. But if I can change one behavior or attitude that would normally be negative into finding the self love and acceptance for myself. I had a win for that day. 

You can win this battle too. We are in this together. We will beat this together. We are Warriors! Carry on!