Prayer to practice self-compassion when faced with a retreat
Kyle Norman
Bible Reading:
“The Lord is compassionate, elegant, slow to anger, full of unshakable love” (Psalm 103:8).
Read or listen to the following:
Is there anything related to it? Have you ever experienced a set-up that could have been an innocent event to judge your life? Have you ever felt discouraged or crushed self-compensation due to the struggles and obstacles you face?
I don’t know you, but when such an era occurs, I can judge myself negatively. If I were a better Christian, pastor, or prayer warrior, I would tell myself this would not happen to me. If God helps people who help himself, if I’m in a place where I need help, well, God isn’t with me, right? And these thoughts speak so loudly that I make my own judgment. I accuse God of being far worse than ever before.
Do you believe that the set of your life will testify to the lack of God’s love? Do you see struggle and frustration as testimony of dishonesty? Perhaps it’s a sign that God isn’t as close as you think?
If you have ever judged yourself negatively for the retreat of your life, let these words wash away you: “The Lord is compassionate and graceful.” These words explain the basic character of the Lord and unravel the deepest level of God’s identity. God does not change his shadow. God is not one thing in an instant, and another thing in the next moment. Our God is eternally caring, graceful, and plenty of love. These attributes are stubborn, reliable and reliable.
The word “compassion” means “suffering.” It means lovingly putting another person’s life in. There is no judgment or retaliation in compassion. This means that we are confident in His attention to us, as the Caring Lord is not the Lord who we consider to be unloved for our struggles. God’s compassionate love accepts us even when we stumble. We all receive grace in the hands of Jesus.
Jesus, as the incarnation of God, comes to us and not screams or screams, is caring, loves us with our weaknesses, and accepts us in all of our humanity. Jesus joins us in our lives, and the cross testifies to his compassion. Because it is an eternal sign that he is suffering for us. And we can be confident that we are not alone.
So, if Jesus shows compassion for us in our set-offs and struggles, should we not be compassionate for ourselves? What might it look like to reject a set-off to speak the last word? Instead of seeing stumbling and failings, can we turn to our desire to get closer to Jesus? Faith rarely exists in a palace that is easy and problem-free. We are all faced with disappointment, but when we try to dare Jesus’ love in that moment, our faith grows. Just as Peter sinks in the sea, Jesus leaves us not to step on the water. He reaches out to us. And if he reaches out to us, we can easily sigh, knowing that Christ’s loving compassion has the last words.
Let’s pray:
Graceful and caring Lord, how blessed is your love in my life? How comprehensive is it? How transformative! Thank you for your love for me. I thank you, and your grace testifies that your presence in my life is not a prize I need to win, but a gift to accept. When the Lord Jesus Christ is seduced to be self-critical because of my failures and setbacks, help me live in the light of your incarnation. Remember, when you enter the enrichment of human life, you will also accept the bloating of my humanity. You are someone who sympathizes with all my weaknesses and can be used to me in all my struggles. Lord, allow me to spread compassion to myself – compassion rooted in your loving care. Help turn away from self-doubt, self-compensation, and self-dumped voice. And may your compassionate words of grace speak louder in my mind as these voices rise in me. I look to you and choose to live as your beloved child. Amen.
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Pastor Kyle Norman is the president of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kamloops, Canada. He holds a PhD in Spiritual Formation and is a popular author, speaker and retreat leader. His writings can be found at Christianity.com, Crosswalk.com, Ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada and more. He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca. He has 20 years of idyllic experience and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of mental disappointment.
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