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Monday, May 5, 2008

Get Back Up!

Have you ever felt like a failure? Have you ever felt like you have "gone around the same mountain" a hundred times on a particular issue? Do you find that you "beat yourself up" about it, or do you extend grace to yourself? I think sometimes it easier for us to extend grace to our children, our best friends, or our coworkers than to ourselves. I am so disappointed with myself when I stumble and fall in my spiritual journey.


Praying one morning, God used an example of Abigail to illustrate a point He was making with me about all of this.

You see, our Abigail is just learning to walk. She is so cute as she is testing the waters.


She gets up and takes a few steps.


Oops! She falls down.......

But, she gets back up again.

God asked me, "Tracy, do you get mad at Abigail when she falls? Do you think she is a failure? Do you scold her, telling her she should know better, do better, BE better?"

Of course not! When she falls, I encourage her to get back up. I am not angry or upset with her, but understand that as she grows and learns and "masters" walking, she will make mistakes, she will "mess up" and she will stumble and fall. I smile at her, clap my hands to tell her what a good job she is doing. I scoop her up in my arms, hugging and snuggling her!


And, so it is with our spiritual walk. We will make mistakes. We will stumble and fall. But, our Abba Father, our Daddy, isn't sitting behind us with arms crossed, furrowed brow, scolding us. No, "there is now NO condemnation in Christ Jesus". Our Abba Father wants to encourage us, to help us up. He is smiling at us, clapping His hands to tell us we are doing a good job, scooping us up in His arms, hugging and snuggling us.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus....For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." -Romans 8:1, 15


Father God, thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. Thank You that You are my Abba Father, watching over me, encouraging me, and cheering me on! Help me to extend grace to myself, not focusing on my failures, but on how You are growing and maturing me. Glory to You, God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.


Questions to Reflect Upon

  1. Are there areas in your life where you need to extend yourself grace and forgiveness?
  2. How do you extend grace to family and friends, and why do you think it is difficult to treat ourselves in the same way?



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10 Comments:

Blogger Melanie @ This Ain't New York said...

Great post. I am hard on myself when I fail as a wife and mother. I know God forgives me, but I can't get over the "damage" I may have caused or the pain. You are so right. We extend grace to others many times more than to ourselves.

May 5, 2008 at 10:11 AM  
Blogger Dawn said...

What a beautiful illustration. God has also used my love for my children when he "explains and reveals" things to my heart.

I enjoyed your post very much!

May 5, 2008 at 12:49 PM  
Blogger Denise said...

I really liked this post, bless you.

May 5, 2008 at 1:29 PM  
Blogger windycindy said...

Wonderful analogy between your child learning to walk and walking with Christ. I do agree with you that it is easier for the most part to forgive others before ourselves. Partly, I think it has to do with being a woman. I will work on this! Thanks,Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

May 5, 2008 at 2:22 PM  
Blogger Amy L Brooke said...

Oh, my she is adoreable. I wish I could say I get back up with as much enthusiasm. I think sometimes I lie on my back wonder.... Thanks for the reminder to get back up!

May 5, 2008 at 4:38 PM  
Blogger Twinkle Mom said...

That is a wonderful post and very encouraging...I know I tend to be hard on myself like today when my new blog site wasn't up and I felt SO bad and it reminded me of how I had to remember that sometimes what is a mountain, is really just a molehill and God's way of putting a little perspective in life. Things won't always go as we planned, but with and in God, there is always a better outcome and an opportunity to grow closer to Him.

May 5, 2008 at 6:15 PM  
Blogger Julie said...

Good article, thanks for sharing. Loved the pictures to go along with it!

Julie

May 5, 2008 at 7:25 PM  
Blogger Carol said...

I love this! And how cute Abigail is!

May 5, 2008 at 8:36 PM  
Blogger Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

Wonderful encouragement Tracy!

May 6, 2008 at 1:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wonderful post, thanks for writing this :)

I am having strong financial struggles right now and feeling like the biggest failure as a wife and mother because of this and this post is helping me accept that God has a plan for me and this bump is a part of it and this is all happening for a reason. Wow thats a long sentence!

Thanks again :)

May 7, 2008 at 2:03 AM  

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