Is it Well with Your Soul?

Ahhhh for those of us who are in a prodigal state (okay - bluntly - backslidden) this is a question that cuts deep.  For myself - I have to remember that I am my own worst critic.  Why is it we see all our faults and imperfections and we don't give much thought to the gifts our Father has given us?  I think for those of us who have been saved for a long time - perhaps the expectation within ourselves of where we are - and where we should be are two things that cause us to be overly critical of ourselves.

My soul is at war with what I know I should do - and what I do.  Sometimes I feel as though I am looking "outside myself" and wondering who this person is? I am not excusing the things we do that we know we should not. (Although it would be quite easy to do that...) We blame our circumstances, our unhappiness, our families, our finances, etc... Its very easy to come up with many reasons why we are struggling against what we know is right.  However - I have to remind myself there is no degree of sin with our Father.

It can be kind of scarey when you think about it.  I have a tendancy to talk to the Father like I would talk to a friend in conversation.  I figure it is pointless to hide things from Him because He sees everything anyhow. So why hide how you feel?  What you are doing?  Be honest with Him.  The Bible tells us "He knows your thoughts before you even think them..." (Where is that?? Oh how these verses come into my mind and then I have to scramble to figure out where they are... they are tucked away in my heart... But I certainly should blog with a concordance by my side... Sheepish grin... - I'm being lazy... LOL)

I'm far too transparent and straightforward for my own good. (Chuckling) Are you the same? I'm finding that making my way back to my soul "being well" is being honest of my current situation. Our Father is a loving Father. He is merciful and He is graceful.  I have to remember (and believe!) that the rules He has provided for us are ours for a reason.  Not because He is being a mean Father.  I try to compare it to the things I say to my children.  For instance, if I saw my 4 year old son reaching to touch the stove - I would tell him, "Don't touch that!"  He might look at me puzzled because it was something he wanted to do.  And maybe he would even disobey me and touch it anyway.  And if he did - he would get burned.  God tells us things for a reason. Although my head knows that - my heart doesn't always obey... And then we wonder why we hurt? Why we feel lost? Why we feel depressed? Or discouraged? But think again of that small child touching the stove in disobedience.  What would you do with your own child after he burned his fingers?  Me - I would gather my son into my arms (Exasperated and perhaps annoyed) but still - I would gather him close.  Run him over to the kitchen sink and run cold water on his burnt little fingers.  Depending on how bad the burn - do whatever I needed to do to let him know that I was there.  Not happy with what he did - but loving him just the same. Hoping that he had learned a valuable lesson.  Wanting ONLY the best for my child.

Here I go with a scripture again... The Bible tells us "If we being evil give good gifts to our children - how much more so does your Heavenly Father want to give to you?" He only wants our best.  Even when we don't feel that or see it... Even now he is gathering you into His arms.  Kissing the back of your head.  Hoping that you will get back on that pathway (if you have strayed) that He has set for your life.  He loves you - even when you don't love yourself....

(I promise I will start posting where these scriptures that come into my head are in our Word... Grinz again sheepishly..)