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My Irish Setter decided that eating bees was a good thing to do and as we had a swarm of them around our porch, she set to her task with a vengeance. An hour later her hugely swollen face revealed the evidence of her folly.
Benadryl brought down the swelling, but this was not the end of the story. Ruby began to itch where she had been stung. This, in turn set her to scratching and ripping with her nails at an area on her lower jaw. The more she scratched and tore, the worse the situation became, until she had two open wounds, almost an inch long and several tissue layers deep. It took over a month of applying antibiotic cream daily, plus her wearing a cone on her head, to prevent further scratching, before these self-inflicted wounds healed.
This incident brought to mind, how I too can rip and tear at myself mentally and emotionally when life stings me by my own mistakes. I say something I wish I hadn't. I inadvertently drop things. I forget an important occasion. A wrong decision leads to unwanted consequences. My temper frays and flares, all things which probably happen to all of us on a regular basis, as we are all human and destined to sin and error. Being angry, impatient, humiliated or fed up with myself however and continually ripping and scratching at myself mentally over these issues, does not help my situation. Rather it exacerbates it, making it much worse.
The Scriptures remind us:
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." (Ephesians 4:2 NIV)
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (Proverbs 15:1 NIV)
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:12,13 NIV)
These words of wisdom, when applied not only to others, but also to ourselves, act as soothing, healing balm to the stings of life that our actions inflict upon us from time to time.
Learning to be gentle, forgiving, kind, patient and compassionate with ourselves, is in fact an act of humility, as it reminds us of our own brokenness and imperfection and our need of a Saviour who loves us and forgives all of our inadvertent or intentional folly for the asking. Thus, let us put aside the sting and itch of negative self-talk and mental abuse when we feel we have failed, and instead, apply today's words of Scripture to ourselves. By so doing self-anger, loathing, impatience and the like will be replaced by the healing touch of God's love, patience, kindness and forgiveness.
Prayer: Lord God, help me to learn to be patient, kind, forgiving and gentle toward myself when I feel I have failed or been imperfect. In Christ's name I ask. Amen.
Lynne Phipps
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
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