The realization that (fill in the blank) IS your (my) fault! Horrors. Not a comfortable place to be but the ‘evidence’ is irrefutable. There is nowhere to hide from the truth that you are to blame. Now what? Sometimes I do feel like a child – how do I get out of (fill in the blank). You can’t hide… or point fingers… and everyone knows.
We often engage in truly silly behavior rather than face the obvious. You can’t undo what you did or said or didn’t do or say. History has written and stamped it. If an apology is necessary, does it stick in your throat? Can, will you build on an apology to move (fill in the blank) toward ‘success’? However, do we tend to hold on to those times? What? How does this holding on help? What advantage do we receive from this behavior? Why!!!?
Granted we don’t want to repeat what happened, but do you honestly believe you will? What I am talking about are those lasting lessons – both good and bad, but especially bad – that we experienced. Do look at the last 2 letters – ed. Questions: did you accept your responsibility and the ramifications from what you did/didn’t do? Did you seek forgiveness, apologize, attempt to redeem? If the answers to those questions is ‘yes’ then… let go and move on.
Not so simple. Then again, whoever said life was simple?
So how does all this reflect on who you are and who you are becoming? In multiple ways. First: we live in a fishbowl – we really aren’t invisible. As a result, people are aware of how we go about resolving, making amends, etc. And while what they think of us should not be a focus on how we decide how to move on, we should be cognizant. Accepting responsibility is a major factor in others’ opinions of us. How we go about accepting responsibility is also presenting a model for others to consider for themselves in these situations.
As I have said in multiple ways, multiple times… we have to move on. But we can’t when we have un-atoned for issues. These keep popping up until we finally do face them. Scripture provides us with many examples about what we are to do. We can prolong our agony or move on with clean hands. Never forget 1John 1:9 – this is why Paul could say, 2Corinthians 7:2, I have wronged no man.
