We all do this… yes? And there are degrees in this as well… yes? Personally, I rarely do anything by halves. Therefore, when I mess up I do so in a full blown, spectacular fashion. Recently I’ve experienced just such a misadventure. But ME, the great proponent of analyzing – did/have I? No! Sometimes, I truly don’t understand me. Here analyzing was staring me in the face and I didn’t see it !!! Now that a day or so has passed I do see and self- examination is the order of the moment. As I look back over the last few weeks, there’s actually been a spate of incidents ranging from the simple to more complex, but similar none the less. What’s happening?!
To all my family and friends (f ‘n f) who have been subject to my little bouts… a profound apology. Granted, not all messing ups are related and some are genuinely ‘innocent’. Doesn’t absolve us from the consequences of our words and/or actions but the variety are more easily dealt with. The Messing Up that I’m talking about, that I recently realized, is much more serious. It is a disease that can gobble up the perpetrator and cause confusion for the f ‘n f – it truly can blindside everyone. The disease… “ME-ISM”. And try as I can, I do not find any justification or excuse for this disease. It is despicable, demeaning, and downright wrong!
This disease does NOT promote or provide an adult self because just like a little child, it typically creates some form of tantrum. And an adult displaying a tantrum is never a pleasant observation nor experience. Eventually, hopefully, the non adult realizes and ends the behavior If you think I’m being overly dramatic, think back when you either observed or were party to this in some fashion. It is not pretty. And the perpetrator’s desired result gets garbled. There’s nothing to commend this choice of behavior but it doesn’t have to continue to dictate – we sufferers can overcome.
Me-ism has many definitions and expressions but in my case I think it has more to do with feelings of non-appreciation. This appears to be my default definition but it still is rooted in me-ism. And who should I be attempting to please? Man is not the answer. But we do… there is a least a tiny shred of people pleasing in all of us (and don’t look superior because I think it’s part of our DNA, though some have a worse ‘case’ than others). The ultimate question is: who controls, who dictates words/behavior the people pleasing part or the Lord? Remember, Love is not people pleasing, it’s unconditional but it’s not blind.
I think we all forget our foundation (the Lord) from time to time and that’s when the devil sweeps in with a false people pleasing and me-ism. Those 2 combined are incredibly shackling and they do a good job of playing off of each other even though it may appear that they are diametrically opposed. Through the Holy Spirit, we have the authority and power to overcome. And that, dear reader, is what we should do. Especially the me-ism should be caged. We really can do this and we really need to. Scripture is always the best offensive weapon so find your foundation and use it against these forces. You really are an overcomer… it isn’t easy and never a cake walk… but it is doable!
