Accepting ones self
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I can relate to this in a way. For the past couple of years I have felt myself knowing in my mind that I need to grow in my faith, I need to mature in Christ, I need to put my childish, worldly desires behind me and "grow up", to be the christian man (not child) I am supposed to be, but I could never seem to do so in action. I asked God, I prayed, I did what I could, but I never seemed to be able to break through that wall so to speak. I continued to be tripped up by the same sins, I continued to put other things before my faith on my priority list...etc. and after a while I just started feeling unworthy to even speak to God, to ask for His help, because I just felt worthless.
But what helped me anyway was realizing that none of us are without sin, that is why Jesus died on the cross. Every time I sin, God already knows I will, and yet He still loves me, He still welcomes me back. I was the one allowing myself to be deceived into thinking I was worthless, unworthy, not enough...etc. So changing my mindset was huge, but also I think it just comes with time. Age does not equal maturity. And sometimes there is no way for us to get out of our dry seasons, or our valleys, other than through time. Sometimes all we can do is walk through them one step at a time.
And so I would say in regard to condemning or judging yourself, that is not God speaking, that is satan deceiving you. God doesn't want us to feel condemned, or lowly, or empty. When we sin He doesn't want us to run away in fear or shame, He wants us to run back into His arms. I also think our maturity needs to be more than simply a desire. We do need something worth maturing over, if that makes sense. For me it was thinking about what I wanted out of life, how I wanted it to look, and then using that as motivation to change. So whenever I feel tempted to sin in one way or another, I just think about the future, and how I would like it to be, and remind myself that the sins I commit today are affecting my future, my relationships, everything. I heard it said this way in a sermon: don't give up what you want most, for what you want now.
Anyway I don't mean to ramble, but I hope this helps in some way.
God Bless!
But what helped me anyway was realizing that none of us are without sin, that is why Jesus died on the cross. Every time I sin, God already knows I will, and yet He still loves me, He still welcomes me back. I was the one allowing myself to be deceived into thinking I was worthless, unworthy, not enough...etc. So changing my mindset was huge, but also I think it just comes with time. Age does not equal maturity. And sometimes there is no way for us to get out of our dry seasons, or our valleys, other than through time. Sometimes all we can do is walk through them one step at a time.
And so I would say in regard to condemning or judging yourself, that is not God speaking, that is satan deceiving you. God doesn't want us to feel condemned, or lowly, or empty. When we sin He doesn't want us to run away in fear or shame, He wants us to run back into His arms. I also think our maturity needs to be more than simply a desire. We do need something worth maturing over, if that makes sense. For me it was thinking about what I wanted out of life, how I wanted it to look, and then using that as motivation to change. So whenever I feel tempted to sin in one way or another, I just think about the future, and how I would like it to be, and remind myself that the sins I commit today are affecting my future, my relationships, everything. I heard it said this way in a sermon: don't give up what you want most, for what you want now.
Anyway I don't mean to ramble, but I hope this helps in some way.
God Bless!
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Well I do know that I am very child like in nature several people who have spoken to me in person say I have this sense of innocence about me but at the same time I also seem to look and speak in a mature adult manner, especially in the bdf. There is a time and a place for everything and so i think having a balance of being childlike and being mature and adult like is something good to have, After all if you only see and think as a child you will not mature and grow much and if you only see and think as an adult then the things that only a child can see about God will not make sense to you.
Honestly this thread was mainly made from the kind of things I ponder I expected it to fade into the dark lonely shadows of the bdf but two whole pages was unexpected. I only hope this thread has helped someone
Honestly this thread was mainly made from the kind of things I ponder I expected it to fade into the dark lonely shadows of the bdf but two whole pages was unexpected. I only hope this thread has helped someone
Actually your character forms and molds your personality. What is deep within the person (character) is expressed outwardly through his personality. Also, there is a difference between "child-like" (approved by God) and "childish" (disapproved by God).
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Cor 13:11).
Every Christian starts out as a babe in Christ, but that is certainly not where he is supposed to remain.
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head,even Christ: (Ephesians 4:14,15).
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Cor 13:11).
Every Christian starts out as a babe in Christ, but that is certainly not where he is supposed to remain.
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head,even Christ: (Ephesians 4:14,15).
It wasn't merely personality I was talking about i was talking about the heart more than anything. I was not sating that one must not grow and mature in faith or even as a person it is my main focus to grow and mature as both a person and a believer however the thing is I am always rejecting the child in me wishing I would only be a mature grown up because they say the eyes are the windows to the soul and the eyes we see through come directly from what is in our own hearts. But accepting both the child and the adult in me has always been a struggle for me however there have been times when both the adult and child in me each have been used greatly by God. Sometimes only a child can see certain things where as the same is said for an adult