WEDNESDAYS DEVOTION :)

[Guest guest]

GOOD ONE, SAM !!! YOU DO THESE SOOOO WELL, HON ! I DONT THINK I THANK

YOU ENOUGH !!! I REALLY LOVED THE VERSE ON THIS ONE !! (COLOSSIANS

3:12-13) THANKS AGAIN, SWEETIE !! 8^)

FROM: THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE DEVOTIONAL

BY ROBERT S. MCGEE

ASSIGNING BLAME

AND SO, AS THOSE WHO HAVE

BEEN CHOSEN OF GOD, HOLY

AND BELOVED, PUT ON A HEART

OF COMPASSION, KINDNESS,

HUMILITY, GENTLENESS AND

PATIENCE; BEARING WITH ONE

ANOTHER, AND FORGIVING EACH

OTHER, WHOEVER HAS A

COMPLAINT AGAINST ANYONE,

JUST AS THE LORD FORGAVE

YOU, SO ALSO SHOULD YOU.

________________COLOSSIANS 3:12-13

WHETHER CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY, WE ALL TEND TO POINT AN

ACCUSING FINGER, ASSIGNING BLAME FOR VIRTUALLY EVERY FAILURE. WHENEVER

WE FAIL TO RECEIVE APPROVAL FOR OUR PERFORMANCE, WE ARE LIKELY TO SEARCH

FOR A REASON, A CULPRIT, A SCAPEGOAT. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE CAN FIND

NO ONE BUT OURSELVES TO BLAME, SO THE ACCUSING FINGER POINTS RIGHT BACK

AT US. SELF-CONDEMNATION IS A SEVERE FORM OF PUNISHMENT.

IF POSSIBLE, WE WILL OFTEN TRY TO PLACE THE BLAME ON OTHERS AND

FULFILL THE LAW OF RETRIBUTION---THAT PEOPLE SHOULD GET WHAT THEY

DESERVE. FOR MOST OF OUR LIVES, WE HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED TO MAKE SOMEONE

PAY FOR FAILURES OR SHORTCOMINGS. WHEN WE MISS A DEADLINE AT WORK

BECAUSE WE DIDN'T USE OUR TIME WISELY AND DON'T WANT TO ADMIT IT, WE TRY

TO FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE THE BLAME. WHEN A PROBLEM IS PARTLY OUR

FAULT AND PARTLY SOMEONE ELSE'S, WE OFTEN ARE QUICK TO MENTION THE OTHER

PERSON'S CULPABILITY.

FOR EVERY FLAW WE SEE AROUND US, WE OFTEN SEARCH FOR SOMEONE TO

BLAME. SOME OF US INTERNALIZE, BLAMING OURSELVES FOR EVERYTHING AND

ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY DID WRONG. OTHERS EXTERNALIZE THE BLAME, HOPING TO

EXONERATE OURSELVES BY MAKING SURE OTHERS ARE IDENTIFIED AS " GUILTY " AND

PUNISHED.

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DOES CONDEMNING YOURSELF HELP YOU BECOME A BETTER PERSON? WHY, OR WHY

NOT?

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HEAVENLY FATHER, TODAY I WILL TRY NOT TO BE SO HARD ON MYSELF AND

OTHERS. AS I LOOK TO YOU FOR A MODEL OF COMPASSION, PLEASE SHOW ME . .

.. .

GENTLEHUGS AND PRAYERS

SAM

[Guest guest]

FROM: THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE DEVOTIONAL

BY ROBERT S. MCGEE

THE TRAP OF PERFORMANCE

IF YOU HAVE DIED WITH CHRIST

TO THE ELEMENTARY

PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD,

WHY, AS IF YOU WERE LIVING IN

THE WORLD, DO YOU SUBMIT

YOURSELF TO DECREES, SUCH

AS, DO NOT HANDLE, DO NOT

TASTE, DO NOT TOUCH (WHICH

ALL REFER TO THINGS DESTINED

TO PERISH WITH THE USING)---IN

ACCORDANCE WITH THE

COMMANDMENTS AND

TEACHINGS OF MEN? THESE ARE

MATTERS WHICH HAVE, TO BE

SURE, THE APPEARANCE OF

WISDOM IN SELF-MADE RELIGION

AND SELF-ABASEMENT AND

SEVERE TREATMENT OF THE

BODY, BUT ARE NO VALUE

AGAINST FLESHLY INDULGENCE.

________________COLOSSIANS 2:20-23

BECAUSE OF OUR UNIQUE PERSONALITIES, WE EACH REACT VERY DIFFERENTLY

TO THIS DECEPTION: *I MUST MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS IN ORDER TO FEEL GOOD

ABOUT MYSELF.* AS WE SAW IN A PREVIOUS CHAPTER, SOME OF US RESPOND BY

BECOMING SLAVES TO PERFECTIONISM---DRIVING OURSELVES INCESSANTLY TOWARD

ATTAINING GOALS.

PERFECTIONIST CAN BE QUITE VULNERABLE TO SERIOUS MOOD DISORDERS, AND

OFTEN ANTICIPATE REJECTION WHEN THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVEN'T MET THE

STANDARDS THEY ARE TRYING SO HARD TO ATTAIN. THEREFORE, PERFECTIONIST

TEND TO REACT DEFENSIVELY TO CRITICISM AND DEMAND TO BE IN CONTROL OF

MOST SITUATIONS THEY ENCOUNTER. BECAUSE THEY ARE USUALLY MORE COMPETENT

THAN MOST, PERFECTIONIST SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THEIR COMPULSIONS. " I

JUST LIKE TO SEE THINGS DONE WELL, " THEY CLAIM. THERE IS CERTAINLY

NOTHING INHERENTLY WRONG WITH DOING THINGS WELL; THE PROBLEM IS THAT

PERFECTIONISTS USUALLY BASE THEIR SELF-WORTH ON THEIR ABILITY TO

ACCOMPLISH A GOAL. THEREFORE, FAILURE IS A THREAT AND IS TOTALLY

UNACCEPTABLE TO THEM. MANY HIGH ACHIEVERS ARE DRIVEN BEYOND HEALTHY

LIMITATIONS. RARELY ABLE TO RELAX AND ENJOY LIFE, THEY LET THEIR

FAMILIES AND RELATIONSHIPS SUFFER AS THEY STRIVE TO ACCOMPLISH OFTEN

UNREALISTIC GOALS.

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WHY DO PEOPLE USE PERFORMANCE AS A MEASUREMENT OF PERSONAL WORTH?

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HEAVENLY FATHER, I NEED TO SLOW DOWN TODAY AND FOCUS ON IMPROVING MY

PRESENT RELATIONSHIPS. IN THE WHIRLWIND ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIFE, I

CONFESS THAT I GET CAUGHT UP WITH . . . .

GENTLEHUGS AND PRAYERS

SAM