{"id":17042,"date":"2014-01-17T00:15:22","date_gmt":"2014-01-17T05:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=17042"},"modified":"2014-01-17T09:32:59","modified_gmt":"2014-01-17T14:32:59","slug":"christlife-five-acknowledging-wrong-images","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2014\/01\/17\/christlife-five-acknowledging-wrong-images\/","title":{"rendered":"CHRISTLife\u2014Five: Acknowledging Wrong Images"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CLbloggraphicweek1friday\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t we all like to pretend that there are no negative and unhealthy images of ourselves hidden in our hearts and minds!? \u00a0But the fact is that there probably, almost assuredly, are. \u00a0I would prefer if the bad self-images would run off like water on a duck\u2019s back, and the good self-images would be like water on a sponge, which soaks into the core of the sponge and still remains visible on the outside. \u00a0Former experiences and people from our past all have an effect on us, whether good or bad.<\/p>\n

Our emotional reactions to situations are often \u201cclues to negative images of ourselves\u201d due to past experiences, whether we remember those experiences or not. They influence our attitudes and behaviors. \u00a02 Corinthians 13:5 (AMP) tells us to: \u201cExamine and test and evaluate your own selves\u2026.\u201d \u00a0To better understand ourselves and our \u201cinner identity album,\u201d we need to examine our viewpoints and beliefs. \u00a0They have been formed either from previous bad experiences or from good experiences. We need to separate the bad from the good so we can get rid of the wrong images that distort the truth.<\/p>\n

An example might be that as a child in school your teacher gave you a hard time because you were left-handed, you wore hand-me-down clothes, and\/or you couldn\u2019t see the blackboard from your seat. \u00a0That experience might have distorted your view of those in authority. \u00a0It might also have caused a negative self-image to grow in you that has led you to believe you aren\u2019t good enough and you can\u2019t do anything right for those in authority over you. \u00a0Your emotional reaction might be to withdraw or to be defensive. \u00a0Ruth Myers says this, \u201cWe need to become more objective in our viewpoints and beliefs. We must learn not to color the facts with our misguided conclusions and opinions\u201d (pg. 23).<\/p>\n

Do you ever hear yourself say, \u201cIf only<\/em>\u2026?\u201d Yes, I know I have said that at times and I\u2019m sure you have too. When those negative, unrealistic \u201cIf only<\/em>\u2026.\u201d thoughts come into your mind and even on your lips, you (and I) need to begin to replace them with reality and God\u2019s Word.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf only my situation would change\u2026\u201d
\nFor I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
\nPhilippians 4:13<\/p>\n

\u201cIf only I hadn\u2019t committed that sin in my past\u2026\u201d
\nSo now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
\nRomans 8:1<\/p>\n

\u201cIf only my parents had been better examples\u2026\u201d
\n\u2026let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
\nRomans 12:2<\/p>\n

Recently I saw the movie, \u201cThe Guardians\u201d for the first time. \u00a0Although just a whimsical, fictional story (of which I will probably forget most of it in short order), there was one line that popped out at me. \u00a0Jack Frost asks, \u201cHow can I know who I am, before I know who I was?<\/strong><\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Obviously, I am contemplating this question from the perspective of this study as well as God\u2019s Word. \u00a0Check out Psalm 139. \u00a0Here are just a few verses in response to that question:<\/p>\n

\n

O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me\u2026
\nYou made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother\u2019s womb
\nYou watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion\u2026Every day of my life was recorded in Your Book\u2026
\nHow precious are Your thoughts about me, O God.<\/p>\n

We are His!<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In Jeremiah 31:3, God tells us, \u201cI have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love; with unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself.\u201d \u00a0Because He loves us so, He wants to help us. \u00a0Let\u2019s not waste time wishing the past had never happened. \u00a0We have today, and we have God\u2019s Word. \u00a0Let\u2019s take on the privilege, the responsibility, the hard work, and the joy of rejecting all the unrealistic and false images in our \u201cinner identity albums.\u201d<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0With God\u2019s help, let\u2019s replace the lies with truth\u2014His Truth. \u00a0How freeing and uplifting that will be when we aren\u2019t carrying around the burden of those lies anymore. \u00a0Then, too, our negative reactions will be replaced with responses that bless and glorify Him.<\/p>\n

I want to encourage you to go back to chapter 5, page 25, and read again the Scripture references and answer the questions in light of God\u2019s love for you.<\/p>\n

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
\ntest me and know my anxious thoughts.
\nPoint out anything in me that offends You,
\nand lead me along the path of everlasting life.
\nPsalms 139:23-24<\/p>\n

\u00a0 * \u00a0~ \u00a0* \u00a0~ \u00a0* \u00a0~ \u00a0* \u00a0~<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Dear Lord, thank You for this first week of our study. Already, You are revealing to each of us wrong images from our past that still produce negative emotions. We thank You that Your Word is The Truth. As we study together, help us break down the negative past and rebuild our lives based on the truth that is Your Word. \u2018I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath\u2019 (Psalms 116:1-2). In Jesus\u2019 Holy Name, Amen.<\/p>\n

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Wouldn\u2019t we all like to pretend that there are no negative and unhealthy images of ourselves hidden in our hearts and minds!? \u00a0But the fact is that there probably, almost assuredly, are. \u00a0I would prefer if the bad self-images would run off like water on a duck\u2019s back, and the good self-images would be like […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":17044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5040],"tags":[5098,5102,5103,5104,5099,5106,3660,5101,1287,425,450,5108,552,762,5109,5110,5111,2434,910,1721,5068,5100,5107,5105,1739],"class_list":["post-17042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christlife-bible-study","tag-christlife-embracing-your-true-and-deepest-identity","tag-the-guardians","tag-psalm-1391","tag-2-corinthians-135","tag-acknowledging-wrong-images","tag-beliefs","tag-clella-gilbert-fox","tag-emotional-reactions","tag-gch","tag-girlfriends-coffee-hour","tag-gods-word","tag-his-truth","tag-jeremiah-313","tag-philippians-413","tag-psalm-1161-2","tag-psalm-13913","tag-psalm-13915-17","tag-psalm-13923-24","tag-romans-122","tag-romans-81","tag-ruth-myers","tag-self-images","tag-unrealistic","tag-viewpoints","tag-womens-on-line-bible-study","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/CLbloggraphicweek1friday.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p39pHp-4qS","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17042","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17042"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17042\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17047,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17042\/revisions\/17047"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17042"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17042"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17042"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}