So You Messed Up and Had a Bad Day? So What?

So You Messed Up and Had a Bad Day?  So What?

Today wasn't my best.  It started off great, and then something happened, which happens honestly just about every single morning.  One of my kids decided they couldn't get ready on time so I lost it.  My impatience overtook me and on a very important day in her life, I got so upset that she began to cry.  Not a good moment at all.  I felt awful and kept wondering why is it that I continually battle against myself?  Why do I let my emotions get the best of me, and then take it out on the very people I love the most?

The rest of the day wasn't terrible, except that after that moment I was on edge.  Everything that went wrong seemed to irritate me to no end, and I was constantly on everyone’s case.  Ugh.  I don’t like when I act like this.  I know that this is not who I am, or who God has made me to be.  So, what do I do about it?

In the past I would feel terrible.  It would completely ruin not only one day, but my week, and on top of feeling guilty for my actions I would feel in the wrong for feeling guilty and letting it control me.  It was a horrible cycle to be in and I just couldn't get out of it…that is, until the power of God moved in my life. 

I realized, by God’s grace, that the problem wasn't necessarily my actions, but it was my identity.  Not only did I feel bad about what I did, I felt bad about who I was.  My actions defined me.  I thought of myself as a “bad mom and a bad wife.”  I thought I was a failure.  I thought I was stuck in a rut, never to be able to change.  I mean, after all, I was a Christian, right, so I shouldn't act this way.  If I’m a Christian already and act this poorly, then how in the world am I going to show others Christ’s love?  I mean, how can I be qualified to love others if I can’t even love my own children right?

This thought pattern is so wrong and such a trap from the enemy.  So what do we do about it?  What do we do when we go down the wrong path one moment or one day and lose it? 

We get back up.  We repent.  We move on.  We don’t let it define who we really are.  That is precisely what I’ve done today.  Yes it’s been bad.  Yes I've fallen short.  Yes, I've missed the mark.  BUT, I've repented.  I’ve asked for forgiveness from my daughter and the others I've not treated well.  That’s all I can do.  My actions today don’t define who I am at my core.  I messed up, but I am a beautiful creation of God.  I am a wonderful mother and wife.  I am free in Christ to be ALL that He made me to be.  I don’t stay down in the dumps anymore. I don’t dwell on it and let Satan try to tell me that I’m no good.  The fact is, I’m great, because God made me that way.  There is absolutely NOTHING else I can be, but great. Nothing!  Whether I act like it every day might change, but I know without a doubt in the core of my being that I am amazing.  It’s just a fact.  It’s the absolute truth. 

In the mean time I will work on my actions so they are more like Christ.  Yes, He convicts me and prunes me because He loves me. His love empowers me to overcome.  Christ does NOT condemn his children.

So you messed up?  What are you going to do about it?  Will it ruin your life?  Ruin your kids’ lives and your family’s life?  Absolutely not!! Get back up and run your race.  You can’t run very fast if you’re always beat up and lying on the ground.  God wants you to know that there is absolutely nothing you can do that He hasn't forgiven.  Receive it, make things right, FORGIVE YOURSELF, and move on.  Yes, it’s that simple.  Jesus paid your debt, you don’t owe anything.  Jesus didn't die on the cross for us to wallow in self pity and condemnation.  He died to set us free.  And We ARE FREE INDEED!!