The Twelve Days of Purpose
For a Purposeful Christmas
- Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...
Wow, five more days for the big day! Do you remember being a child and counting down until “Santa” came? Christmas through a child’s eyes can be intoxicating and captivating. Oh, that’s right; we’re supposed to be talking about The Twelve Days of Purpose. Well, grab your coffee and come on in. I think we can get to Steps 1 & 2 today!
Step one is probably the most challenging but brings the most freedom for it starts the process: Admit we are powerless and that life has become unmanageable.
Oh, how I wish I could have coffee with each of you, individually and in person, and share just how unmanageable my life had become when I finally came to this truthful conclusion. But since that would take a long time, let me just give you the main things that rendered me powerless: first divorce, single parenting a hurting teenager and running from sexual confusion! I remember feeling just like David in Psalm 40:12 where he cries out: "For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me so that I am not able to look up! They are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart fails me. Oh, Lord, make haste to help me."
Matthew 11:28 says: "Come to me all you who are weary" . . . all who are powerless… "and I will give you rest"! That was the beginning of my admitting that I was powerless but it has taken me years of realizing what I was/am powerless over. I am powerless:
• Over others – can’t fix or control my husband, my son, or anyone
• Over circumstances (financial, physical, and the holidays)
• Over my own compulsive behavior – shopping, self-medicating, overeating, or even something as subconsciously as picking fights because of not knowing how to be happy, anything compulsive . . .
As I apply this principle, I am reminded that I can’t change others, let alone my hurts, hang-ups and habits (Matthew 19:26)
How many of us create an unmanageable Christmas season? Do you realize that the way we live our lives day to day just gets put on steroids during this season? We can't buy the best gifts of the season: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control, but we can give them!
I was going to move on to Step 2 but think on these truths from the first step and spend some time journaling ways to admit you are powerless that will bring you freedom from the crazy cycle of Christmas!
Powerlessly free,
Evinda
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