Self Discovery and Disclosure

I've always known that we cut ourselves more slack than we do others. But, I ran up into MY shortcomings with this recently and it was ugly and yet what came of it was beautiful. When I admitted that I lie to myself and give me a pass while being angry and self righteous with others who lie to me - that was a hard hard thing to admit to myself and I was terribly convicted on it. But, when God told me to share it publicly with some others - whoa, I was really nervous. I said, "No, you can't want me to do this". Of course, I knew that He did. And, I did it. It was very strange. The people I thought would look at me in disgust, didn't. There is nothing more amazing than to be freed of something.

I understand that my hiding or lying is about fear. And, in others when they do it - it is also about fear. We can relate - I can be compassionate about their shortcomings because I have the same ones. I don't have to judge, but can pray for them to understand. I pray for me to understand too.

This also brought back to me that the things we hate in ourselves and have trouble giving to God for change are the same things that seem to bother us in others most.

The things God is teaching me and growing me up in - they're never easy, but always good.