Over the last few months I realized I am really bad at giving myself grace. I seem to be able to give others grace but not myself. Why do I do that?
By the grace of God I have come to realize a few things about myself.
- I want to be in charge and fix the issue. By giving others grace, I am fixing the issue.
- I have a hard time focusing on myself. I would rather focus on someone else and stay in the background.
- I am beyond thankful that God gives me grace even when I don’t give it to myself.
I thought I had figured out how to give myself grace… then the pandemic happened and the anxiety of fear and worry seemed to take over.
But what I am learning is that this is not a one way fix. Anxiety is something I am going to have to work on probably for the rest of my life. I am in need of a Savior daily to help me make it through a normal day or a pandemic day.
I am learning to daily give myself grace by:
- Falling on my knees in prayer when the anxiety starts to take over my mind. Realizing I cannot control this on my own. Being in His word is what helps me focus on how He is in control and knows all that is going on. I can cry out to Him during this time!
- Reminding myself that tomorrow is a new day. I tell my preschoolers after they messed up that they are forgiven and we start over. They do not have to worry about me getting upset with them again about hitting their friend because we have already handled that situation. The same is true for me when the day just didn’t seem to be my day; there is a new day tomorrow. I get to try again.
- Lastly, as much as I want to have overcome my issue of fear and anxiety, He is reminding me of the times He took care of me.
In times of new difficulties, I seem to forget all the struggles and hard times He has brought me through. Why do I forget that He healed me while I was very sick overseas and not knowing what was wrong with me? When I did not get the job I thought I would get? Those times were not easy in any way, but in those times He grew me into the person I am today. As much as I never want to go back to those times, I also never want to forget what God did in those times.
I’m choosing in this time to give myself grace and watch God move in my life as He has done in the past.
Where are you not giving yourself grace today? Ask God to remind you how He has worked in your past and how you can trust Him with tomorrow.
